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Cell Rep

Adaptive variation in butyrylcholinesterase-influenced lipid metabolism during horse domestication.
Cell reports    August 20, 2026   Volume 45, Issue 9 117879 doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117879
Zhang Y, Liu X, Wang X, Yu Y, Jia Y, Pu Y, Ma Y, Orlando L, Jiang L.Lipid metabolism influences horse athletic performance, yet its genetic basis remains unclear. Here, we investigate the genetic basis of lipid metabolic traits by quantifying key metabolic parameters and sequencing the genomes of 298 horses. We identify a missense mutation (ECA19:9,198,989, G>C) in the BCHE gene that is strongly associated with lipid metabolism, especially butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity. The "C" allele is associated with increased BChE activity and reduced intracellular triglyceride levels, hepatic adiposity, and overall fat mass, highlighting a central role for BCHE in...