In this study, meta-analyses revealed several new QTL regions and candidate genes associated with the traits studied among which some are linked with bone, skeletal or muscle development, including SOS2, TRIM24 and ELMO1. Mutations in SOS2 are associated with the Noonan syndrome in humans, i.e. patients with this syndrome have short stature, weak muscles and malformed skeleton [59]. Here, SOS2 is linked to Noonan syndrome.