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Bayraktar M. Analysing the genetic diversity of three sheep breeds in Turkey and nearby countries using 50 K SNPs data. Anim Biotechnol 2024; 35:2329106. [PMID: 38497403 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2024.2329106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study analysed the genetic diversity and population structure of eight sheep breeds in Turkey and nearby countries. Moderate genetic diversity was observed, with the Sakiz (SKZ) exhibiting the highest diversity based on heterozygosity and allelic richness (AR) values. Genetic distances revealed differentiation between the populations, with the most significant divergence between the Cyprus Fat Tail (CFT) and SKZ breeds. PCA demonstrated SKZ and Chios (CHI) clustering together, indicating genetic similarity. Karakas (KRS), Norduz (NDZ), Afshari (AFS), Moghani (MOG) and others showed overlap, reflecting genetic relationships. Ancestry analysis found that KRS was predominantly inherited from the second ancestral population, while SKZ and NDZ were primarily derived from the first and second ancestral lineages. This illustrated the populations' diverse origins. Most genetic variation (96.84%) was within, not between, populations. The phi-statistic (PhiPT) indicated moderate differentiation overall. Phylogenetic analysis further demonstrated the genetic distinctiveness of the SKZ breed. ROH and FROH analyses showed that SKZ exhibited the highest homozygosity and inbreeding, while KRS displayed the lowest. This study elucidates these breeds' genetic diversity, structure and relationships. Key findings include moderate diversity, evidence of differentiation between breeds, diverse ancestral origins and distinct ROH patterns. This provides insights into the population's genetic characteristics and conservation requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mervan Bayraktar
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey
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Becker GM, Thorne JW, Burke JM, Lewis RM, Notter DR, Morgan JLM, Schauer CS, Stewart WC, Redden RR, Murdoch BM. Genetic diversity of United States Rambouillet, Katahdin and Dorper sheep. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:56. [PMID: 39080565 PMCID: PMC11290166 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-024-00905-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Managing genetic diversity is critically important for maintaining species fitness. Excessive homozygosity caused by the loss of genetic diversity can have detrimental effects on the reproduction and production performance of a breed. Analysis of genetic diversity can facilitate the identification of signatures of selection which may contribute to the specific characteristics regarding the health, production and physical appearance of a breed or population. In this study, breeds with well-characterized traits such as fine wool production (Rambouillet, N = 745), parasite resistance (Katahdin, N = 581) and environmental hardiness (Dorper, N = 265) were evaluated for inbreeding, effective population size (Ne), runs of homozygosity (ROH) and Wright's fixation index (FST) outlier approach to identify differential signatures of selection at 36,113 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RESULTS Katahdin sheep had the largest current Ne at the most recent generation estimated with both the GONe and NeEstimator software. The most highly conserved ROH Island was identified in Rambouillet with a signature of selection on chromosome 6 containing 202 SNPs called in an ROH in 50 to 94% of the individuals. This region contained the DCAF16, LCORL and NCAPG genes that have been previously reported to be under selection and have biological roles related to milk production and growth traits. The outlier regions identified through the FST comparisons of Katahdin with Rambouillet and Dorper contained genes with known roles in milk production and mastitis resistance or susceptibility, and the FST comparisons of Rambouillet with Katahdin and Dorper identified genes related to wool growth, suggesting these traits have been under natural or artificial selection pressure in these populations. Genes involved in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways were identified in all FST breed comparisons, which indicates the presence of allelic diversity between these breeds in genomic regions controlling cytokine signaling mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS In this paper, we describe signatures of selection within diverse and economically important U.S. sheep breeds. The genes contained within these signatures are proposed for further study to understand their relevance to biological traits and improve understanding of breed diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle M Becker
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Jacob W Thorne
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University, San Angelo, TX, USA
| | - Joan M Burke
- USDA, ARS, Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, Booneville, AR, USA
| | - Ronald M Lewis
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - David R Notter
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | | | - Christopher S Schauer
- Hettinger Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Hettinger, ND, USA
| | - Whit C Stewart
- Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - R R Redden
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University, San Angelo, TX, USA
| | - Brenda M Murdoch
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
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Kusza S, Badaoui B, Wanjala G. Insights into the genomic homogeneity of Moroccan indigenous sheep breeds though the lens of runs of homozygosity. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16515. [PMID: 39019985 PMCID: PMC11255268 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67558-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have indicated that Morocco's indigenous sheep breeds are genetically homogenous, posing a risk to their survival in the challenging harsh climate conditions where they predominantly inhabit. To understand the genetic behind genetic homogeneity through the lens of runs of homozygosity (ROH), we analyzed the whole genome sequences of five indigenous sheep breeds (Beni Guil, Ouled Djellal, D'man, Sardi, Timahdite and Admixed).The results from principal component, admixture, Fst, and neighbour joining tree analyses consistently showed a homogenous genetic structure. This structure was characterized by an average length of 1.83 Mb for runs of homozygosity (ROH) segments, with a limited number of long ROH segments (24-48 Mb and > 48 Mb). The most common ROH segments were those ranging from 1-6 Mb. The most significant regions of homozygosity (ROH Islands) were mostly observed in two chromosomes, namely Chr1 and Chr5. Specifically, ROH Islands were exclusively discovered in the Ouled Djellal breed on Chr1, whereas Chr5 exhibited ROH Islands in all breeds. The analysis of ROH Island and iHS technique was employed to detect signatures of selection on Chr1 and Chr5. The results indicate that Chr5 had a high level of homogeneity, with the same genes being discovered across all breeds. In contrast, Chr1 displays some genetic variances between breeds. Genes identified on Chr5 included SLC39A1, IL23A, CAST, IL5, IL13, and IL4 which are responsible for immune response while genes identified on Chr1 include SOD1, SLAMF9, RTP4, CLDN1, and PRKAA2. ROH segment profile and effective population sizes patterns suggests that the genetic uniformity of studied breeds is the outcome of events that transpired between 250 and 300 generations ago. This research not only contributes to the understanding of ROH distribution across breeds but helps design and implement native sheep breeding and conservation strategies in Morocco. Future research, incorporating a broader sample size and utilizing the pangenome for reference, is recommended to further elucidate these breeds' genomic landscapes and adaptive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilvia Kusza
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Centre for Agricultural Genomics and Biotechnology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Bouabid Badaoui
- Faculty of Sciences, Centre de Biotechnologies Végétales et Microbiennes, Biodiversité et Environnement, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
- African Sustainable Agriculture Research Institute (ASARI),, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Laâyoune, Morocco
| | - George Wanjala
- Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Centre for Agricultural Genomics and Biotechnology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, Böszörményi út 138., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Institute of Animal Sciences and Wildlife Management, University of Szeged, Andrássy út 15., 6800, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary
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Spurgin LG, Bosse M, Adriaensen F, Albayrak T, Barboutis C, Belda E, Bushuev A, Cecere JG, Charmantier A, Cichon M, Dingemanse NJ, Doligez B, Eeva T, Erikstad KE, Fedorov V, Griggio M, Heylen D, Hille S, Hinde CA, Ivankina E, Kempenaers B, Kerimov A, Krist M, Kvist L, Laine VN, Mänd R, Matthysen E, Nager R, Nikolov BP, Norte AC, Orell M, Ouyang J, Petrova-Dinkova G, Richner H, Rubolini D, Slagsvold T, Tilgar V, Török J, Tschirren B, Vágási CI, Yuta T, Groenen MAM, Visser ME, van Oers K, Sheldon BC, Slate J. The great tit HapMap project: A continental-scale analysis of genomic variation in a songbird. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13969. [PMID: 38747336 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
A major aim of evolutionary biology is to understand why patterns of genomic diversity vary within taxa and space. Large-scale genomic studies of widespread species are useful for studying how environment and demography shape patterns of genomic divergence. Here, we describe one of the most geographically comprehensive surveys of genomic variation in a wild vertebrate to date; the great tit (Parus major) HapMap project. We screened ca 500,000 SNP markers across 647 individuals from 29 populations, spanning ~30 degrees of latitude and 40 degrees of longitude - almost the entire geographical range of the European subspecies. Genome-wide variation was consistent with a recent colonisation across Europe from a South-East European refugium, with bottlenecks and reduced genetic diversity in island populations. Differentiation across the genome was highly heterogeneous, with clear 'islands of differentiation', even among populations with very low levels of genome-wide differentiation. Low local recombination rates were a strong predictor of high local genomic differentiation (FST), especially in island and peripheral mainland populations, suggesting that the interplay between genetic drift and recombination causes highly heterogeneous differentiation landscapes. We also detected genomic outlier regions that were confined to one or more peripheral great tit populations, probably as a result of recent directional selection at the species' range edges. Haplotype-based measures of selection were related to recombination rate, albeit less strongly, and highlighted population-specific sweeps that likely resulted from positive selection. Our study highlights how comprehensive screens of genomic variation in wild organisms can provide unique insights into spatio-temporal evolutionary dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis G Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
- Department of Biology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mirte Bosse
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Ecological Science, Animal Ecology Group, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Adriaensen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tamer Albayrak
- Department of Biology, Science and art Faculty, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Istiklal Yerleskesi, Burdur, Turkey
- Biology Education, Buca Faculty of Education, Mathematics and Science Education, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | | | - Eduardo Belda
- Institut d'Investigació per a la Gestió Integrada de Zones Costaneres, Campus de Gandia, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Andrey Bushuev
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jacopo G Cecere
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | | | - Mariusz Cichon
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Faculty of Biology, LMU München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Blandine Doligez
- UMR CNRS 5558-LBBE, Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tapio Eeva
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Kjell Einar Erikstad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM-High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Matteo Griggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Dieter Heylen
- Department of Biology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Sabine Hille
- Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Vienna, Austria
| | - Camilla A Hinde
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Elena Ivankina
- Faculty of Biology, Zvenigorod Biological Station, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Anvar Kerimov
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Milos Krist
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Laura Kvist
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Veronika N Laine
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Raivo Mänd
- Department of Zoology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Erik Matthysen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ruedi Nager
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Boris P Nikolov
- Bulgarian Ornithological Centre, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ana Claudia Norte
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Markku Orell
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | - Gergana Petrova-Dinkova
- Bulgarian Ornithological Centre, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Heinz Richner
- Evolutionary Ecology Lab, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Tore Slagsvold
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vallo Tilgar
- Department of Zoology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Barbara Tschirren
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Csongor I Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Teru Yuta
- Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Abiko, Japan
| | - Martien A M Groenen
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ben C Sheldon
- Department of Biology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jon Slate
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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5
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Huang Z, Wang J, Qi D, Li X, Wang J, Zhou J, Ruan Y, Laer Y, Baqian Z, Yang C. Uncovering the genetic diversity and adaptability of Butuo Black Sheep through whole-genome re-sequencing. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303419. [PMID: 38857228 PMCID: PMC11164371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The Butuo Black Sheep (BBS) is well-known for its ability to thrive at high altitudes, resist diseases, and produce premium-quality meat. Nonetheless, there is insufficient data regarding its genetic diversity and population-specific Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This paper centers on the genetic diversity of (BBS). The investigation conducted a whole-genome resequencing of 33 BBS individuals to recognize distinct SNPs exclusive to BBS. The inquiry utilized bioinformatic analysis to identify and explain SNPs and pinpoint crucial mutation sites. The findings reveal that reproductive-related genes (GHR, FSHR, PGR, BMPR1B, FST, ESR1), lipid-related genes (PPARGC1A, STAT6, DGAT1, ACACA, LPL), and protein-related genes (CSN2, LALBA, CSN1S1, CSN1S2) were identified as hub genes. Functional enrichment analysis showed that genes associated with reproduction, immunity, inflammation, hypoxia, PI3K-Akt, and AMPK signaling pathways were present. This research suggests that the unique ability of BBS to adapt to low oxygen levels in the plateau environment may be owing to mutations in a variety of genes. This study provides valuable insights into the genetic makeup of BBS and its potential implications for breeding and conservation efforts. The genes and SPNs identified in this study could serve as molecular markers for BBS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jinkang Wang
- Butuo County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, Xichang, China
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- Butuo County Forestry and Grassland Bureau, Xichang, China
| | - Yan Ruan
- Butuo County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, Xichang, China
| | - Youse Laer
- Butuo County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, Xichang, China
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Yang J, Wang DF, Huang JH, Zhu QH, Luo LY, Lu R, Xie XL, Salehian-Dehkordi H, Esmailizadeh A, Liu GE, Li MH. Structural variant landscapes reveal convergent signatures of evolution in sheep and goats. Genome Biol 2024; 25:148. [PMID: 38845023 PMCID: PMC11155191 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03288-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sheep and goats have undergone domestication and improvement to produce similar phenotypes, which have been greatly impacted by structural variants (SVs). Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of Asiatic mouflon, and implement a comprehensive analysis of SVs in 897 genomes of worldwide wild and domestic populations of sheep and goats to reveal genetic signatures underlying convergent evolution. RESULTS We characterize the SV landscapes in terms of genetic diversity, chromosomal distribution and their links with genes, QTLs and transposable elements, and examine their impacts on regulatory elements. We identify several novel SVs and annotate corresponding genes (e.g., BMPR1B, BMPR2, RALYL, COL21A1, and LRP1B) associated with important production traits such as fertility, meat and milk production, and wool/hair fineness. We detect signatures of selection involving the parallel evolution of orthologous SV-associated genes during domestication, local environmental adaptation, and improvement. In particular, we find that fecundity traits experienced convergent selection targeting the gene BMPR1B, with the DEL00067921 deletion explaining ~10.4% of the phenotypic variation observed in goats. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide new insights into the convergent evolution of SVs and serve as a rich resource for the future improvement of sheep, goats, and related livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dong-Feng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jia-Hui Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiang-Hui Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ling-Yun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ran Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xing-Long Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hosein Salehian-Dehkordi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ali Esmailizadeh
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, 76169-133, Iran
| | - George E Liu
- Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, BARC, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Meng-Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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7
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Giovannini S, Chessari G, Riggio S, Marletta D, Sardina MT, Mastrangelo S, Sarti FM. Insight into the current genomic diversity, conservation status and population structure of Tunisian Barbarine sheep breed. Front Genet 2024; 15:1379086. [PMID: 38881792 PMCID: PMC11176520 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1379086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Local livestock breeds play a crucial role in global biodiversity, connecting natural and human-influenced environments and contributing significantly to ecosystem services. While commercial breeds dominate industrial systems, local livestock breeds in developing countries, like Barbarine sheep in Tunisia, are vital for food security and community maintenance. The Tunisian Barbarine sheep, known for its adaptability and distinctive fat-tailed morphology, faces challenges due to historical crossbreeding. In this study, the Illumina Ovine SNP50K BeadChip array was used to perform a genome-wide characterization of Tunisian Barbarine sheep to investigate its genetic diversity, the genome structure, and the relationship within the context of Mediterranean breeds. The results show moderate genetic diversity and low inbreeding. Runs of Homozygosity analysis find genomic regions linked to important traits, including fat tail characteristics. Genomic relationship analysis shows proximity to Algerian thin-tailed breeds, suggesting crossbreeding impacts. Admixture analysis reveals unique genetic patterns, emphasizing the Tunisian Barbarine's identity within the Mediterranean context and its closeness to African breeds. Current results represent a starting point for the creation of monitoring and conservation plans. In summary, despite genetic dilution due to crossbreeding, the identification of genomic regions offers crucial insights for conservation. The study confirms the importance of preserving unique genetic characteristics of local breeds, particularly in the face of ongoing crossbreeding practices and environmental challenges. These findings contribute valuable insights for the sustainable management of this unique genetic reservoir, supporting local economies and preserving sheep species biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Giovannini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Chessari
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Silvia Riggio
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Donata Marletta
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Sardina
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Maria Sarti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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8
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Atağ G, Kaptan D, Yüncü E, Başak Vural K, Mereu P, Pirastru M, Barbato M, Leoni GG, Güler MN, Er T, Eker E, Yazıcı TD, Kılıç MS, Altınışık NE, Çelik EA, Morell Miranda P, Dehasque M, Floridia V, Götherström A, Bilgin CC, Togan İ, Günther T, Özer F, Hadjisterkotis E, Somel M. Population Genomic History of the Endangered Anatolian and Cyprian Mouflons in Relation to Worldwide Wild, Feral, and Domestic Sheep Lineages. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae090. [PMID: 38670119 PMCID: PMC11109821 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Once widespread in their homelands, the Anatolian mouflon (Ovis gmelini anatolica) and the Cyprian mouflon (Ovis gmelini ophion) were driven to near extinction during the 20th century and are currently listed as endangered populations by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. While the exact origins of these lineages remain unclear, they have been suggested to be close relatives of domestic sheep or remnants of proto-domestic sheep. Here, we study whole genome sequences of n = 5 Anatolian mouflons and n = 10 Cyprian mouflons in terms of population history and diversity, comparing them with eight other extant sheep lineages. We find reciprocal genetic affinity between Anatolian and Cyprian mouflons and domestic sheep, higher than all other studied wild sheep genomes, including the Iranian mouflon (O. gmelini). Studying diversity indices, we detect a considerable load of short runs of homozygosity blocks (<2 Mb) in both Anatolian and Cyprian mouflons, reflecting small effective population size (Ne). Meanwhile, Ne and mutation load estimates are lower in Cyprian compared with Anatolian mouflons, suggesting the purging of recessive deleterious variants in Cyprian sheep under a small long-term Ne, possibly attributable to founder effects, island isolation, introgression from domestic lineages, or differences in their bottleneck dynamics. Expanding our analyses to worldwide wild and feral Ovis genomes, we observe varying viability metrics among different lineages and a limited consistency between viability metrics and International Union for Conservation of Nature conservation status. Factors such as recent inbreeding, introgression, and unique population dynamics may have contributed to the observed disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gözde Atağ
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Damla Kaptan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Eren Yüncü
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kıvılcım Başak Vural
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Paolo Mereu
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Monica Pirastru
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Mario Barbato
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Merve Nur Güler
- Department of Health Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tuğçe Er
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Elifnaz Eker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tunca Deniz Yazıcı
- Graduate School for Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Muhammed Sıddık Kılıç
- Department of Health Informatics, Graduate School of Informatics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Ecem Ayşe Çelik
- Department of Settlement Archeology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Pedro Morell Miranda
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marianne Dehasque
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Viviana Floridia
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Anders Götherström
- Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cemal Can Bilgin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - İnci Togan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Torsten Günther
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Füsun Özer
- Department of Anthropology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Eleftherios Hadjisterkotis
- Agricultural Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Mehmet Somel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
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9
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Stoffel MA, Johnston SE, Pilkington JG, Pemberton JM. Purifying and balancing selection on embryonic semi-lethal haplotypes in a wild mammal. Evol Lett 2024; 8:222-230. [PMID: 38525027 PMCID: PMC10959477 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Embryonic lethal mutations are arguably the earliest and most severe manifestation of inbreeding depression, but their impact on wild populations is not well understood. Here, we combined genomic, fitness, and life-history data from 5,925 wild Soay sheep sampled over nearly three decades to explore the impact of embryonic lethal mutations and their evolutionary dynamics. We searched for haplotypes that in their homozygous state are unusually rare in the offspring of known carrier parents and found three putatively semi-lethal haplotypes with 27%-46% fewer homozygous offspring than expected. Two of these haplotypes are decreasing in frequency, and gene-dropping simulations through the pedigree suggest that this is partially due to purifying selection. In contrast, the frequency of the third semi-lethal haplotype remains relatively stable over time. We show that the haplotype could be maintained by balancing selection because it is also associated with increased postnatal survival and body weight and because its cumulative frequency change is lower than in most drift-only simulations. Our study highlights embryonic mutations as a largely neglected contributor to inbreeding depression and provides a rare example of how harmful genetic variation can be maintained through balancing selection in a wild mammal population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin A Stoffel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Susan E Johnston
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jill G Pilkington
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine M Pemberton
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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10
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Wilson CS, Taylor JB, Lewis RM, Notter DR. Genetic impact of external Targhee sires at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station: a case study of introgression. Transl Anim Sci 2024; 8:txae044. [PMID: 38585169 PMCID: PMC10999158 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Sheep breeders requested that the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES) to participate in national genetic evaluation through the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP). The reasons included the need for (1) a comparison of the productivity of industry and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) lines, (2) transparency of USDA flocks, (3) genetic ties for NSIP by sampling of industry flocks, and (4) development of premium genetic lines for public release. In response, USSES began to incorporate external sires from NSIP participating flocks into the USSES Targhee flock. Our objective, based on a pedigree analysis, was to test if introgression of external genetics into the flock was achieved. The pedigree included 13,189 animals with mean maximum generations, mean complete generations, and mean equivalent complete generations of 4.2, 1.8, and 2.6, respectively. The mean generation interval was 3.1 yr. The reference population was defined as lambs born from 2021 to 2023 (n = 792). Two additional populations were defined as the current mature ewe flock (n = 123) and the current mature rams (n = 14). The Genetic Conservation Index averaged 7.7 for the full population and 25.7 for the reference population. Overall inbreeding was 0.003 for the full population and 0.006 for the reference population. The rate of inbreeding was 0.0003 per generation. Average relatedness was 0.015 for the full population and 0.018 for the reference population. The effective number of founders, effective number of ancestors, and founder genome equivalents contributing to the reference population were 60, 39, and 19.1, respectively. The ratio of the effective number of founders to the effective number of ancestors was 1.5, indicating the presence of genetic bottlenecks. Measures of effective population size ranged from 102 to 547. Of the 704 offspring produced by external sires, 17 ram lambs and 132 ewe lambs were retained for breeding. The USSES sires produced 299 offspring with 2 ram lambs and 51 ewe lambs retained. Incorporating external sires resulted in a cumulative percentage of genetic variance of 48.8, 49.1, and 44.2 of external genetics for the reference population, current mature ewe flock, and current mature rams, respectively. Stakeholder needs were addressed by introgression of external sires and participation in NSIP, but future selection practices need to be modified to maintain a minimum of 50% USSES core genetics in the flock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie S Wilson
- Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, ARS, USDA, Dubois, ID, 83423, USA
| | - J Bret Taylor
- Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, ARS, USDA, Dubois, ID, 83423, USA
| | - Ronald M Lewis
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - David R Notter
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
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11
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Baazaoui I, Bedhiaf-Romdhani S, Mastrangelo S, Lenstra JA, Da Silva A, Benjelloun B, Ciani E. Refining the genomic profiles of North African sheep breeds through meta-analysis of worldwide genomic SNP data. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1339321. [PMID: 38487707 PMCID: PMC10938946 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1339321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The development of reproducible tools for the rapid genotyping of thousands of genetic markers (SNPs) has promoted cross border collaboration in the study of sheep genetic diversity on a global scale. Methods In this study, we collected a comprehensive dataset of 239 African and Eurasian sheep breeds genotyped at 37,638 filtered SNP markers, with the aim of understanding the genetic structure of 22 North African (NA) sheep breeds within a global context. Results and discussion We revealed asubstantial enrichment of the gene pool between the north and south shores of the Mediterranean Sea, which corroborates the importance of the maritime route in the history of livestock. The genetic structure of North African breeds mirrors the differential composition of genetic backgrounds following the breed history. Indeed, Maghrebin sheep stocks constitute a geographically and historically coherent unit with any breed-level genetic distinctness among them due to considerable gene flow. We detected a broad east-west pattern describing the most important trend in NA fat-tailed populations, exhibited by the genetic closeness of Egyptian and Libyan fat-tailed sheep to Middle Eastern breeds rather than Maghrebin ones. A Bayesian FST scan analysis revealed a set of genes with potentially key adaptive roles in lipid metabolism (BMP2, PDGFD VEGFA, TBX15, and WARS2), coat pigmentation (SOX10, PICK1, PDGFRA, MC1R, and MTIF) and horn morphology RXFP2) in Tunisian sheep. The local ancestry method detected a Merino signature in Tunisian Noire de Thibar sheep near the SULF1gene introgressed by Merino's European breeds. This study will contribute to the general picture of worldwide sheep genetic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Baazaoui
- Laboratory of Animal and Fodder Production, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Sonia Bedhiaf-Romdhani
- Laboratory of Animal and Fodder Production, National Institute of Agronomic Research of Tunisia, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Johannes A Lenstra
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anne Da Silva
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Limoges, E2LIM, Limoges, France
| | - Badr Benjelloun
- National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA Maroc), Regional Centre of Agronomic Research, Beni Mellal, Morocco
| | - Elena Ciani
- Dipartamento Bioscienze, Biotecnologie, Biofarmaceutica, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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12
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Nayak SS, Panigrahi M, Rajawat D, Ghildiyal K, Sharma A, Jain K, Bhushan B, Dutt T. Deciphering climate resilience in Indian cattle breeds by selection signature analyses. Trop Anim Health Prod 2024; 56:46. [PMID: 38233536 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-023-03879-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The signature of selection is a crucial concept in evolutionary biology that refers to the pattern of genetic variation which arises in a population due to natural selection. In the context of climate adaptation, the signature of selection can reveal the genetic basis of adaptive traits that enable organisms to survive and thrive in changing environmental conditions. Breeds living in diverse agroecological zones exhibit genetic "footprints" within their genomes that mirror the influence of climate-induced selective pressures, subsequently impacting phenotypic variance. It is assumed that the genomes of animals residing in these regions have been altered through selection for various climatic adaptations. These regions are known as signatures of selection and can be identified using various summary statistics. We examined genotypic data from eight different cattle breeds (Gir, Hariana, Kankrej, Nelore, Ongole, Red Sindhi, Sahiwal, and Tharparkar) that are adapted to diverse regional climates. To identify selection signature regions in this investigation, we used four intra-population statistics: Tajima's D, CLR, iHS, and ROH. In this study, we utilized Bovine 50 K chip data and four genome scan techniques to assess the genetic regions of positive selection for high-temperature adaptation. We have also performed a genome-wide investigation of genetic diversity, inbreeding, and effective population size in our target dataset. We identified potential regions for selection that are likely to be caused by adverse climatic conditions. We observed many adaptation genes in several potential selection signature areas. These include genes like HSPB2, HSPB3, HSP20, HSP90AB1, HSF4, HSPA1B, CLPB, GAP43, MITF, and MCHR1 which have been reported in the cattle populations that live in varied climatic regions. The findings demonstrated that genes involved in disease resistance and thermotolerance were subjected to intense selection. The findings have implications for marker-assisted breeding, understanding the genetic landscape of climate-induced adaptation, putting breeding and conservation programs into action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Sonejita Nayak
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
| | - Manjit Panigrahi
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India.
| | - Divya Rajawat
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
| | - Kanika Ghildiyal
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
| | - Anurodh Sharma
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
| | - Karan Jain
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
| | - Triveni Dutt
- Livestock Production and Management Section, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, 243122, UP, India
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13
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Mereu P, Pirastru M, Sanna D, Bassu G, Naitana S, Leoni GG. Phenotype transition from wild mouflon to domestic sheep. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:1. [PMID: 38166592 PMCID: PMC10763062 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00871-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The domestication of animals started around 12,000 years ago in the Near East region. This "endless process" is characterized by the gradual accumulation of changes that progressively marked the genetic, phenotypic and physiological differences between wild and domesticated species. The main distinctive phenotypic characteristics are not all directly attributable to the human-mediated selection of more productive traits. In the last decades, two main hypotheses have been proposed to clarify the emergence of such a set of phenotypic traits across a variety of domestic species. The first hypothesis relates the phenotype of the domesticated species to an altered thyroid hormone-based signaling, whereas the second one relates it to changes in the neural crest cells induced by selection of animals for tameness. These two hypotheses are not necessarily mutually exclusive since they may have contributed differently to the process over time and space. The adaptation model induced by domestication can be adopted to clarify some aspects (that are still controversial and debated) of the long-term evolutionary process leading from the wild Neolithic mouflon to the current domestic sheep. Indeed, sheep are among the earliest animals to have been domesticated by humans, around 12,000 years ago, and since then, they have represented a crucial resource in human history. The aim of this review is to shed light on the molecular mechanisms and the specific genomic variants that underlie the phenotypic variability between sheep and mouflon. In this regard, we carried out a critical review of the most recent studies on the molecular mechanisms that are most accredited to be responsible for coat color and phenotype, tail size and presence of horns. We also highlight that, in such a complicate context, sheep/mouflon hybrids represent a powerful and innovative model for studying the mechanism by which the phenotypic traits related to the phenotypic responses to domestication are inherited. Knowledge of these mechanisms could have a significant impact on the selection of more productive breeds. In fact, as in a journey back in time of animal domestication, the genetic traits of today's domestic species are being progressively and deliberately shaped according to human needs, in a direction opposite to that followed during domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Mereu
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Monica Pirastru
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
| | - Daria Sanna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Bassu
- Agenzia FoReSTAS, Regione autonoma della Sardegna, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Salvatore Naitana
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy
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14
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Arias KD, Lee H, Bozzi R, Álvarez I, Gutiérrez JP, Fernandez I, Menéndez J, Beja-Pereira A, Goyache F. Ascertaining the genetic background of the Celtic-Iberian pig strain: A signatures of selection approach. J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:96-112. [PMID: 37807719 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Celtic-Iberian pig breeds were majority in Spain and Portugal until the first half of the 20th century. In the 1990s, they were nearly extinct as a result of the introduction of foreign improved pig breeds. Despite its historical importance, the genetic background of the Celtic-Iberian pig strain is poorly documented. In this study, we have identified genomic regions that might contain signatures of selection peculiar of the Celtic-Iberian genetic lineage. A total of 153 DNA samples of Celtic-Iberian pigs (Spanish Gochu Asturcelta and Portuguese Bísara breeds), Iberian pigs (Spanish Iberian and Portuguese Alentejano breeds), Cinta Senese pig, Korean local pig and Cosmopolitan pig (Hampshire, Landrace and Large White individuals) were analysed. A pairwise-comparison approach was applied: the Gochu Asturcelta and the Bísara samples as test populations and the five other pig populations as reference populations. Three different statistics (XP-EHH, FST and ΔDAF) were computed on each comparison. Strict criteria were used to identify selection sweeps in order to reduce the noise brought on by the Gochu Asturcelta and Bísara breeds' severe population bottlenecks. Within test population, SNPs used to construct potential candidate genomic areas under selection were only considered if they were identified in four of ten two-by-two pairwise comparisons and in at least two of three statistics. Genomic regions under selection constructed within test population were subsequently overlapped to construct candidate regions under selection putatively unique to the Celtic-Iberian pig strain. These genomic regions were finally used for enrichment analyses. A total of 39 candidate regions, mainly located on SSC5 and SSC9 and covering 3130.5 kb, were identified and could be considered representative of the ancient genomic background of the Celtic-Iberian strain. Enrichment analysis allowed to identify a total of seven candidate genes (NOL12, LGALS1, PDXP, SH3BP1, GGA1, WIF1, and LYPD6). Other studies reported that the WIF1 gene is associated with ear size, one of the characteristic traits of the Celtic-Iberian pig strain. The function of the other candidate genes could be related to reproduction, adaptation and immunity traits, indirectly fitting with the rusticity of a non-improved pig strain traditionally exploited under semi-extensive conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Riccardo Bozzi
- DAGRI, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
| | | | - Juan Pablo Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Juan Menéndez
- ACGA, C/ Párroco José Fernández Teral 5A, Avilés, Asturias, Spain
| | - Albano Beja-Pereira
- CIBIO-InBio, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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15
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Blondeau Da Silva S, Mwacharo JM, Li M, Ahbara A, Muchadeyi FC, Dzomba EF, Lenstra JA, Da Silva A. IBD sharing patterns as intra-breed admixture indicators in small ruminants. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:30-42. [PMID: 37919398 PMCID: PMC10799084 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-023-00658-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated how IBD patterns shared between individuals of the same breed could be informative of its admixture level, with the underlying assumption that the most admixed breeds, i.e. the least genetically isolated, should have a much more fragmented genome. We considered 111 goat breeds (i.e. 2501 individuals) and 156 sheep breeds (i.e. 3304 individuals) from Europe, Africa and Asia, for which beadchip SNP genotypes had been performed. We inferred the breed's level of admixture from: (i) the proportion of the genome shared by breed's members (i.e. "genetic integrity level" assessed from ADMIXTURE software analyses), and (ii) the "AV index" (calculated from Reynolds' genetic distances), used as a proxy for the "genetic distinctiveness". In both goat and sheep datasets, the statistical analyses (comparison of means, Spearman correlations, LM and GAM models) revealed that the most genetically isolated breeds, also showed IBD profiles made up of more shared IBD segments, which were also longer. These results pave the way for further research that could lead to the development of admixture indicators, based on the characterization of intra-breed shared IBD segments, particularly effective as they would be independent of the knowledge of the whole genetic landscape in which the breeds evolve. Finally, by highlighting the fragmentation experienced by the genomes subjected to crossbreeding carried out over the last few generations, the study reminds us of the need to preserve local breeds and the integrity of their adaptive architectures that have been shaped over the centuries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joram M Mwacharo
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotlands Rural College (SRUC) and Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute Building, EH25 9RG, Midlothian, UK
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Menghua Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Abulgasim Ahbara
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotlands Rural College (SRUC) and Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute Building, EH25 9RG, Midlothian, UK
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
| | | | - Edgar Farai Dzomba
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | - Johannes A Lenstra
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anne Da Silva
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Limoges, E2LIM, 87000, Limoges, France.
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16
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Nel C, Gurman P, Swan A, van der Werf J, Snyman M, Dzama K, Olivier W, Scholtz A, Cloete S. Including genomic information in the genetic evaluation of production and reproduction traits in South African Merino sheep. J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:65-82. [PMID: 37787180 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Genomic selection (GS) has become common in sheep breeding programmes in Australia, New Zealand, France and Ireland but requires validation in South Africa (SA). This study aimed to compare the predictive ability, bias and dispersion of pedigree BLUP (ABLUP) and single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) for production and reproduction traits in South African Merinos. Animals in this study originated from five research and five commercial Merino flocks and included between 54,072 and 79,100 production records for weaning weight (WW), yearling weight (YW), fibre diameter (FD), clean fleece weight (CFW) and staple length (SL). For reproduction traits, the dataset included 58,744 repeated records from 17,268 ewes for the number of lambs born (NLB), number of lambs weaned (NLW) and the total weight weaned (TWW). The single-step relationship matrix, H, was calculated using PreGS90 software combining 2811 animals with medium density (~50 K) genotypes and the pedigree of 88,600 animals. Assessment was based on single-trait analysis using ASREML V4.2 software. The accuracy of prediction was evaluated according to the 'LR-method' by a cross-validation design. Validation candidates were assigned according to Scenario I: born after a certain time point; and Scenario II: born in a particular flock. In Scenario I, the genotyping rate for the reference population between 2006 and the 2013 cut-off point approached 7% of animals with phenotypes and 20% of their sires. For reproduction traits, about 20% of ewes born between 2006 and 2011 cut-off were genotyped, along with 15% of their sires. Genotyping rates in the validation set of Scenario I were 3.7% (production) and 11.4% (reproduction) for candidates and 35% of their sires. Sires were allowed to have progeny in both the reference and validation set. In Scenario I, ssGBLUP increased the accuracy of prediction for all traits except NLB, ranging between +8% (0.62-0.67) for FD and +44% (0.36-0.52) for WW. This showed a promising gain in accuracy despite a modestly sized reference population. In the 'across flock validation' (Scenario II), overall accuracy was lower, but with greater differences between ABLUP and ssGBLUP ranging between +17% (0.12-0.14) for TWW and +117% (0.18-0.39) for WW. There was little indication of severe bias, but some traits were prone to over dispersion and the use of genomic information did not improve this. These results were the first to validate the benefit of genomic information in South African Merinos. However, because production traits are moderately heritable and easy to measure at an early age, future research should be aimed at best exploiting GS methods towards genetic prediction of sex-limited and/or lowly heritable traits such as NLW. GS methods should be combined with dedicated efforts to increase genetic links between sectors and improved phenotyping by commercial flocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelius Nel
- Directorate: Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Elsenburg, South Africa
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Phillip Gurman
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew Swan
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Julius van der Werf
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Margaretha Snyman
- Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Middelburg, South Africa
| | - Kennedy Dzama
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Willem Olivier
- Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Middelburg, South Africa
| | - Anna Scholtz
- Directorate: Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Elsenburg, South Africa
| | - Schalk Cloete
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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17
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Nayak SS, Panigrahi M, Rajawat D, Ghildiyal K, Sharma A, Parida S, Bhushan B, Mishra BP, Dutt T. Comprehensive selection signature analyses in dairy cattle exploiting purebred and crossbred genomic data. Mamm Genome 2023; 34:615-631. [PMID: 37843569 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-023-10021-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of the current research was to locate, annotate, and highlight specific areas of the bovine genome that are undergoing intense positive selection. Here, we are analyzing selection signatures in crossbred (Bos taurus X Bos indicus), taurine (Bos taurus), and indicine (Bos indicus) cattle breeds. Indicine cattle breeds found throughout India are known for their higher heat tolerance and disease resilience. More breeds and more methods can provide a better understanding of the selection signature. So, we have worked on nine distinct cattle breeds utilizing seven different summary statistics, which is a fairly extensive approach. In this study, we carried out a thorough genome-wide investigation of selection signatures using bovine 50K SNP data. We have included the genotyped data of two taurine, two crossbreds, and five indicine cattle breeds, for a total of 320 animals. During the 1950s, these indicine (cebuine) cattle breeds were exported with the aim of enhancing the resilience of taurine breeds in Western countries. For this study, we employed seven summary statistics, including intra-population, i.e., Tajima's D, CLR, iHS, and ROH and inter-population statistics, i.e., FST, XP-EHH, and Rsb. The NCBI database, PANTHER 17.0, and CattleQTL database were used for annotation after finding the important areas under selection. Some genes, including EPHA6, CTNNA2, NPFFR2, HS6ST3, NPR3, KCNIP4, LIPK, SDCBP, CYP7A1, NSMAF, UBXN2B, UGDH, UBE2K, and DAB1, were shown to be shared by three or more different approaches. Therefore, it gives evidence of the most intense selection in these areas. These genes are mostly linked to milk production and adaptability traits. This study also reveals selection regions that contain genes which are crucial to numerous biological functions, including those associated with milk production, coat color, glucose metabolism, oxidative stress response, immunity and circadian rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Sonejita Nayak
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
| | - Manjit Panigrahi
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India.
| | - Divya Rajawat
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
| | - Kanika Ghildiyal
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
| | - Anurodh Sharma
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
| | - Subhashree Parida
- Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
| | - B P Mishra
- ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Triveni Dutt
- Livestock Production and Management Section, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, 243122, India
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18
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Lv X, Chen W, Wang S, Cao X, Yuan Z, Getachew T, Mwacharo JM, Haile A, Sun W. Whole-genome resequencing of Dorper and Hu sheep to reveal selection signatures associated with important traits. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:3016-3026. [PMID: 36200839 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2022.2127409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Dorper and Hu sheep exhibit different characteristics in terms of reproduction, growth, and meat quality. Comparison of the genomes of two breeds help to reveal important genomic information. In this study, whole genome resequencing of 30 individuals (Dorper, DB and Hu sheep, HY) identified 15,108,125 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Population differentiation (Fst) and cross population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) were performed for selective signal analysis. In total, 106 and 515 overlapped genes were present in both the Fst results and XP-EHH results in HY vs DB and in DB vs HY, respectively. In HY vs DB, 106 genes were enriched in 12 GO terms and 83 KEGG pathways, such as ATP binding (GO:0005524) and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (oas04151). In DB vs HY, 515 genes were enriched in 109 GO terms and 215 KEGG pathways, such as skeletal muscle cell differentiation (GO:0035914) and MAPK signaling pathway (oas04010). According to the annotation results, we identified a series of candidate genes associated with reproduction (UNC5C, BMPR1B, and GLIS1), meat quality (MECOM, MEF2C, and MYF6), and immunity (GMDS, GALK1, and ITGB4). Our investigation has uncovered genomic information for important traits in sheep and provided a basis for subsequent studies of related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Lv
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Weihao Chen
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shanhe Wang
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiukai Cao
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zehu Yuan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Tesfaye Getachew
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Joram M Mwacharo
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Aynalem Haile
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Wei Sun
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory in Universities of Jiangsu Province of China for Domestic Animal Germplasm Resources and Genetic Improvement, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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19
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Woolley SA, Salavati M, Clark EL. Recent advances in the genomic resources for sheep. Mamm Genome 2023; 34:545-558. [PMID: 37752302 PMCID: PMC10627984 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-023-10018-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Sheep (Ovis aries) provide a vital source of protein and fibre to human populations. In coming decades, as the pressures associated with rapidly changing climates increase, breeding sheep sustainably as well as producing enough protein to feed a growing human population will pose a considerable challenge for sheep production across the globe. High quality reference genomes and other genomic resources can help to meet these challenges by: (1) informing breeding programmes by adding a priori information about the genome, (2) providing tools such as pangenomes for characterising and conserving global genetic diversity, and (3) improving our understanding of fundamental biology using the power of genomic information to link cell, tissue and whole animal scale knowledge. In this review we describe recent advances in the genomic resources available for sheep, discuss how these might help to meet future challenges for sheep production, and provide some insight into what the future might hold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shernae A Woolley
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Mazdak Salavati
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
- Scotland's Rural College, Parkgate, Barony Campus, Dumfries, DG1 3NE, UK
| | - Emily L Clark
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
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20
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Nayak SS, Panigrahi M, Kumar H, Rajawat D, Sharma A, Bhushan B, Dutt T. Evidence for selective sweeps in the MHC gene repertoire of various cattle breeds. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:4167-4173. [PMID: 37039747 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2196317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes are among the immune genes that have been extensively studied in vertebrates and are necessary for adaptive immunity. In the immunological response to infectious diseases, they play several significant roles. This research paper provides the selection signatures in the MHC region of the bovine genome as well as how certain genes related to innate immunity are undergoing a positive selective sweep. Here, we investigated signatures of historical selection on MHC genes in 15 different cattle populations and a total of 427 individuals. To identify the selection signatures, we have used three separate summary statistics. The findings show potential selection signatures in cattle from whom we isolated genes involved in the MHC. The most significant regions related to the bovine MHC are BOLA, non-classical MHC class I antigen (BOLA-NC1), Microneme protein 1 (MIC1) , Cluster of Differentiation 244 (CD244), Gap Junction Alpha-5 Protein (GJA5). It will be possible to gain new insight into immune system evolution by understanding the distinctive characteristics of MHC in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Sonejita Nayak
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - Manjit Panigrahi
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - Harshit Kumar
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - Divya Rajawat
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - Anurodh Sharma
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
| | - Triveni Dutt
- Livestock Production and Management Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India
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21
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Liu LL, Meng J, Ma HY, Cao H, Liu WJ. Candidate genes for litter size in Xinjiang sheep identified by Specific Locus Amplified Fragment (SLAF) sequencing. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:3053-3062. [PMID: 36244020 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2022.2131561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the selection signatures at a genome-wide level in 'Pishan' sheep using Specific Locus Amplified Fragment (SLAF)-seq. Blood samples from 126 ewes were sequenced using SLAF tags, and the ovarian tissues from 8 ewes (Bashbay sheep, a single litter size group (SG group); 'Pishan' sheep, double litter size group (DG group)) were collected to detect expression levels by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Selection signature analysis was performed using global fixation index (Fst) and nucleotide diversity (π) ratio. A total of 1,192,168 high-quality SLAFs were identified. Notably, 2380 candidate regions under selection using two approaches were identified. A total of 2069 genes were identified, which were involved in dopaminergic synapses, thyroid hormone synthesis, ovarian steroidogenesis and thyroid hormone signalling pathways. Furthermore, Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF9), Period Circadian Regulator 2 (PER2), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor (TSHR), and Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 1 (NCOA1) reside within these regions and pathways. The expression levels of GDF9 and PER2 genes in sheep tissue of the DG group were significantly higher than those in the SG group. These genes are interesting candidates for litter size and provide a starting point for further identification of conservation strategies for 'Pishan' sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ling Liu
- Department of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jun Meng
- Department of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Hai-Yu Ma
- Department of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Hang Cao
- Department of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Wu-Jun Liu
- Department of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
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22
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Cinar MU, Arslan K, Sohel MMH, Bayram D, Piel LMW, White SN, Daldaban F, Aksel EG, Akyüz B. Genome-wide association study of early liveweight traits in fat-tailed Akkaraman lambs. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291805. [PMID: 37988399 PMCID: PMC10662757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Small ruminants, especially sheep, are essential for sustainable agricultural production systems, future food/nutrition security, and poverty reduction in developing countries. Within developed countries, the ability of sheep to survive on low-quality forage intake could act as buffer against climate change. Besides sheep's importance in sustainable agricultural production, there has been less ongoing work in terms of sheep genetics in Near East, Middle East and in Africa. For lamb meat production, body weight and average daily gain (ADG) until weaning are critical economic traits that affects the profitability of the industry. The current study aims to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are significantly associated with pre-weaning growth traits in fat tail Akkaraman lambs using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 196 Akkaraman lambs were selected for analysis. After quality control, a total of 31,936 SNPs and 146 lambs were used for subsequent analyses. PLINK 1.9 beta software was used for the analyses. Based on Bonferroni-adjusted p-values, one SNP (rs427117280) on chromosome 2 (OAR2) had significant associations with weaning weight at day 90 and ADG from day 0 to day 90, which jointly explains a 0.8% and 0.9% of total genetic variation respectively. The Ovis aries natriuretic peptide C (NPPC) could be considered as a candidate gene for the defined significant associations. The results of the current study will help to increase understanding of the variation in weaning weight and ADG until weaning of Akkaraman lambs and help enhance selection for lambs with improved weaning weight and ADG. However, further investigations are required for the identification of causal variants within the identified genomic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Ulas Cinar
- Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Korhan Arslan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Genetics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
| | - Md Mahmodul Hasan Sohel
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Genetics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Environment and Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Davut Bayram
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Science, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
| | - Lindsay M. W. Piel
- USDA-ARS Animal Disease Res. 3003 ADBF, WSU Pullman, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Stephen N. White
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Fadime Daldaban
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Genetics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
| | - Esma Gamze Aksel
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Genetics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
| | - Bilal Akyüz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Genetics, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkiye
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Wang J, Suo J, Yang R, Zhang CL, Li X, Han Z, Zhou W, Liu S, Gao Q. Genetic diversity, population structure, and selective signature of sheep in the northeastern Tarim Basin. Front Genet 2023; 14:1281601. [PMID: 38028584 PMCID: PMC10666172 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1281601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Local sheep in the northeastern Tarim Basin can adapt to dry and low-rainfall regional environments. In this study, three local sheep breeds in the northeastern Tarim Basin, LOP (LOP) sheep, Bayinbuluke (BYK) sheep, and Kunlun (KUN, also known as the Qiemo sheep) sheep, and three introduced sheep breeds, Suffolk (SUF) sheep, Dorset (APD) sheep, and Texel (TEX) sheep, were analyzed for genetic diversity, population structure, and selective signature using the Illumina OvineSNP50K BeadChip. We found that LOP, BYK, and KUN had lower observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity than TEX, SUF, and ADP, which were differentiated based on geographic distribution. We performed fixation index (FST) analysis on three local sheep breeds in the northeastern Tarim Basin (LOP, BYK, and KUN) and introduced sheep breeds (TEX, SUF, and ADP) to measure genetic differentiation. Nucleotide diversity (PI) analysis was performed on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data of LOP, BYK, and KUN. A total of 493 candidate genes were obtained by taking the intersection at a threshold of 5%. Among them, SMAD2, ESR2, and HAS2 were related to reproductive traits. PCDH15, TLE4, and TFAP2B were related to growth traits. SOD1, TSHR, and DNAJB5 were related to desert environmental adaptation. Analyzing the genetic patterns of local sheep in the northeastern Tarim Basin can protect the germplasm resources of local sheep and promote the development and utilization of sheep genetic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieru Wang
- Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin Co-Funded by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and The Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Jiajia Suo
- Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin Co-Funded by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and The Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ruizhi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin Co-Funded by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and The Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, China
| | - Cheng-Long Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Zhipeng Han
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Shudong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
| | - Qinghua Gao
- Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin Co-Funded by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and The Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Life Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, China
- Livestock and Forage Resources in Circum-Tarim Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tarim University, Alar, China
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24
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Morell Miranda P, Soares AER, Günther T. Demographic reconstruction of the Western sheep expansion from whole-genome sequences. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad199. [PMID: 37675574 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
As one of the earliest livestock, sheep (Ovis aries) were domesticated in the Fertile Crescent about 12,000-10,000 years ago and have a nearly worldwide distribution today. Most of our knowledge about the timing of their expansions stems from archaeological data but it is unclear how the genetic diversity of modern sheep fits with these dates. We used whole-genome sequencing data of 63 domestic breeds and their wild relatives, the Asiatic mouflon (O. gmelini, previously known as O. orientalis), to explore the demographic history of sheep. On the global scale, our analysis revealed geographic structuring among breeds with unidirectional recent gene flow from domestics into Asiatic mouflons. We then selected 4 representative breeds from Spain, Morocco, the United Kingdom, and Iran to build a comprehensive demographic model of the Western sheep expansion. We inferred a single domestication event around 11,000 years ago. The subsequent westward expansion is dated to approximately 7,000 years ago, later than the original Neolithic expansion of sheep and slightly predating the Secondary Product Revolution associated with wooly sheep. We see some signals of recent gene flow from an ancestral population into Southern European breeds which could reflect admixture with feral European mouflon. Furthermore, our results indicate that many breeds experienced a reduction of their effective population size during the last centuries, probably associated with modern breed development. Our study provides insights into the complex demographic history of Western Eurasian sheep, highlighting interactions between breeds and their wild counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Morell Miranda
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - André E R Soares
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, SE-752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Torsten Günther
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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25
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Zhang W, Jin M, Lu Z, Li T, Wang H, Yuan Z, Wei C. Whole Genome Resequencing Reveals Selection Signals Related to Wool Color in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3265. [PMID: 37893989 PMCID: PMC10603731 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Wool color is controlled by a variety of genes. Although the gene regulation of some wool colors has been studied in relative depth, there may still be unknown genetic variants and control genes for some colors or different breeds of wool that need to be identified and recognized by whole genome resequencing. Therefore, we used whole genome resequencing data to compare and analyze sheep populations of different breeds by population differentiation index and nucleotide diversity ratios (Fst and θπ ratio) as well as extended haplotype purity between populations (XP-EHH) to reveal selection signals related to wool coloration in sheep. Screening in the non-white wool color group (G1 vs. G2) yielded 365 candidate genes, among which PDE4B, GMDS, GATA1, RCOR1, MAPK4, SLC36A1, and PPP3CA were associated with the formation of non-white wool; an enrichment analysis of the candidate genes yielded 21 significant GO terms and 49 significant KEGG pathways (p < 0.05), among which 17 GO terms and 21 KEGG pathways were associated with the formation of non-white wool. Screening in the white wool color group (G2 vs. G1) yielded 214 candidate genes, including ABCD4, VSX2, ITCH, NNT, POLA1, IGF1R, HOXA10, and DAO, which were associated with the formation of white wool; an enrichment analysis of the candidate genes revealed 9 significant GO-enriched pathways and 19 significant KEGG pathways (p < 0.05), including 5 GO terms and 12 KEGG pathways associated with the formation of white wool. In addition to furthering our understanding of wool color genetics, this research is important for breeding purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Meilin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Zengkui Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China;
| | - Taotao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Huihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
| | - Zehu Yuan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
| | - Caihong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.Z.); (M.J.); (T.L.); (H.W.)
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Senczuk G, Di Civita M, Rillo L, Macciocchi A, Occidente M, Saralli G, D’Onofrio V, Galli T, Persichilli C, Di Giovannantonio C, Pilla F, Matassino D. The genome-wide relationships of the critically endangered Quadricorna sheep in the Mediterranean region. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291814. [PMID: 37851594 PMCID: PMC10584175 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Livestock European diffusion followed different human migration waves from the Fertile Crescent. In sheep, at least two diffusion waves have shaped the current breeds' biodiversity generating a complex genetic pattern composed by either primitive or fine-wool selected breeds. Nowadays most of the sheep European breeds derive from the second wave which is supposed to have largely replaced oldest genetic signatures, with the exception of several primitive breeds confined on the very edge of Northern Europe. Despite this, some populations also in the Mediterranean region are characterised by the presence of phenotypic traits considered ancestral such as the policeraty, large horns in the ram, short tail, and a moulting fleece. Italy is home of a large number of local breeds, albeit some are already extinct, others are listed as critically endangered, and among these there is the Quadricorna breed which is a four-horned sheep characterised by several traits considered as ancestral. In this context we genotyped 47 individuals belonging to the Quadricorna sheep breed, a relict and endangered breed, from Central and Southern Italy. In doing so we used the Illumina OvineSNP50K array in order to explore its genetic diversity and to compare it with other 41 breeds from the Mediterranean region and Middle-East, with the specific aim to reconstruct its origin. After retaining 32,862 SNPs following data filtering, the overall genomic architecture has been explored by using genetic diversity indices, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and admixture analysis, while the genetic relationships and migration events have been inferred using a neighbor-joining tree based on Reynolds' distances and by the maximum likelihood tree as implemented in treemix. The Quadricorna breed exhibit genetic diversity indices comparable with those of most of the other analysed breeds, however, the two populations showed opposing patterns of genetic diversity suggesting different levels of genomic inbreeding and drift (FIS and FROH). In general, all the performed genome-wide analyses returned complementary results, indicating a westward longitudinal cline compatible with human migrations from the Middle-East and several additional genetic footprints which might mirror more recent historical events. Interestingly, among the Italian breeds, the original Quadricorna (QUAD_SA) first separated showing its own ancestral component. In addition, the admixture analysis does not suggest any signal of recent gene exchange with other Italian local breeds, highlighting a rather ancestral purity of this population. On the other hand, both the neighbor-joining tree and the treemix analysis seem to suggest a proximity of the Quadricorna populations to breeds of South-Eastern Mediterranean origin. Although our results do not support a robust link between the genetics of the first wave and the presence of primitive traits, the observed genetic uniqueness together with the inferred phylogeograpic reconstruction would suggest an ancient presence of the Quadricorna breed in the Italian Peninsula. Because of this singularity, urgent conservation actions are needed in order to keep the breed and all related cultural products alive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Senczuk
- Department of Agriculture Environment and Food Science, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Marika Di Civita
- Department of Agriculture Environment and Food Science, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Luigina Rillo
- Consortium for Experimentation, Dissemination, and Application of Innovative Biotechniques, (ConSDABI), Benevento, Italy
| | - Alessandra Macciocchi
- Agenzia Regionale per lo Sviluppo e l’Innovazione dell’Agricoltura del Lazio (ARSIAL), Roma, Italy
| | - Mariaconsiglia Occidente
- Consortium for Experimentation, Dissemination, and Application of Innovative Biotechniques, (ConSDABI), Benevento, Italy
| | - Giorgio Saralli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri (IZSLT), Roma, Italy
| | - Valentina D’Onofrio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri (IZSLT), Roma, Italy
| | - Tiziana Galli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri (IZSLT), Roma, Italy
| | - Christian Persichilli
- Department of Agriculture Environment and Food Science, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | | | - Fabio Pilla
- Department of Agriculture Environment and Food Science, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Donato Matassino
- Consortium for Experimentation, Dissemination, and Application of Innovative Biotechniques, (ConSDABI), Benevento, Italy
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Rashaydeh FS, Yildiz MA, Alharthi AS, Al-Baadani HH, Alhidary IA, Meydan H. Novel Prion Protein Gene Polymorphisms in Awassi Sheep in Three Regions of the Fertile Crescent. Vet Sci 2023; 10:597. [PMID: 37888549 PMCID: PMC10611137 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10100597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Scrapie is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease that affects sheep and goats, and genetic susceptibility to scrapie in sheep is associated with polymorphisms in the prion protein (PRNP) gene. The aim of this study is to identify PRNP polymorphism in Awassi sheep from Türkiye, the Palestinian Authority, and Saudi Arabia. A total of 150 healthy sheep were genotyped for PRNP, using Sanger sequencing. There were seven alleles and eleven genotypes observed based on codons 136, 154, and 171 of PRNP. The ARQ allele was predominant in all populations. The most resistant allele to scrapie, ARR, was present in all three regions. The VRQ allele, associated with the highest susceptibility to scrapie, was detected only in Türkiye at a low frequency. In this study, twenty-seven amino acid substitutions were found. Eight of them (R40Q, G65E, H88L, S98T, A118P, S138T, V192F and L250I) have not been previously reported. These data indicate that sheep breeds close to the sheep domestication center have maintained high genetic diversity in the PRNP region. Our findings on PRNP will provide valuable insights for sheep breeding programs, aiding in the selection of genotypes resistant to scrapie in Türkiye, the Palestinian Authority, and Saudi Arabia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal S. Rashaydeh
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07058, Türkiye;
| | - Mehmet A. Yildiz
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, Ankara 06110, Türkiye
| | - Abdulrahman S. Alharthi
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani H. Al-Baadani
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim A. Alhidary
- Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hasan Meydan
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07058, Türkiye;
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Sallam AM, Reyer H, Wimmers K, Bertolini F, Aboul-Naga A, Braz CU, Rabee AE. Genome-wide landscape of runs of homozygosity and differentiation across Egyptian goat breeds. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:573. [PMID: 37752425 PMCID: PMC10521497 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genomic features of livestock is essential for successful breeding programs and conservation. This information is scarce for local goat breeds in Egypt. In the current study, genomic regions with selection signatures were identified as well as runs of homozygosity (ROH), genomic inbreeding coefficients (FROH) and fixation index (FST) were detected in Egyptian Nubian, Damascus, Barki and Boer goat breeds. A total of 46,268 SNP markers and 337 animals were available for the genomic analyses. On average, 145.44, 42.02, 87.90 and 126.95 ROHs were detected per individual in the autosomal genome of the respective breeds. The mean accumulative ROH lengths ranged from 46.5 Mb in Damascus to 360 Mb in Egyptian Nubian. The short ROH segments (< 2 Mb) were most frequent in all breeds, while the longest ROH segments (> 16 Mb) were exclusively found in the Egyptian Nubian. The highest average FROH was observed in Egyptian Nubian (~ 0.12) followed by Boer (~ 0.11), while the lowest FROH was found in Damascus (~ 0.05) and Barki breed (~ 0.03). The estimated mean FST was 0.14 (Egyptian Nubian and Boer), 0.077 (Egyptian Nubian and Barki), 0.075 (Egyptian Nubian and Damascus), 0.071 (Barki and Boer), 0.064 (Damascus and Boer), and 0.015 (Damascus and Barki), for each pair of breeds. Interestingly, multiple SNPs that accounted for high FST values were observed on chromosome 6 in regions harboring ALPK1 and KCNIP4. Genomic regions overlapping both FST and ROH harbor genes related to immunity (IL4R, PHF23, GABARAP, GPS2, and CD68), reproduction (SPATA2L, TNFSF12, TMEM95, and RNF17), embryonic development (TCF25 and SOX15) and adaptation (MC1R, KDR, and KIT), suggesting potential genetic adaptations to local environmental conditions. Our results contribute to the understanding of the genetic architecture of different goat breeds and may provide valuable information for effective preservation and breeding programs of local goat breeds in Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Sallam
- Animal and Poultry Breeding Department, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Henry Reyer
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Klaus Wimmers
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6b, 18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Francesca Bertolini
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Adel Aboul-Naga
- Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Camila U Braz
- Animal and Poultry Nutrition Department, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Alaa Emara Rabee
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1207 Gregory Dr, Urbana, 61801, USA
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Shi H, Li T, Su M, Wang H, Li Q, Lang X, Ma Y. Identification of copy number variation in Tibetan sheep using whole genome resequencing reveals evidence of genomic selection. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:555. [PMID: 37726692 PMCID: PMC10510117 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09672-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Copy number variation (CNV) is an important source of structural variation in the mammalian genome. CNV assays present a new method to explore the genomic diversity of environmental adaptations in animals and plants and genes associated with complex traits. In this study, the genome-wide CNV distribution characteristics of 20 Tibetan sheep from two breeds (10 Oula sheep and 10 Panou sheep) were analysed using whole-genome resequencing to investigate the variation in the genomic structure of Tibetan sheep during breeding. RESULTS CNVs were detected using CNVnator, and the overlapping regions of CNVs between individual sheep were combined. Among them, a total of 60,429 CNV events were detected between the indigenous sheep breed (Oula) and the synthetic sheep breed (Panou). After merging the overlapping CNVs, 4927 CNV regions (CNVRs) were finally obtained. Of these, 4559 CNVRs were shared by two breeds, and there were 368 differential CNVRs. Deletion events have a higher percentage of occurrences than duplication events. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the shared CNVRs were significantly enriched in 163 GO terms and 62 KEGG pathways, which were mainly associated with organ development, neural regulation, immune regulation, digestion and metabolism. In addition, 140 QTLs overlapped with some of the CNVRs at more than 1 kb, such as average daily gain QTL, body weight QTL, and total lambs born QTL. Many of the CNV-overlapping genes such as PPP3CA, SSTR1 and FASN, overlap with the average daily weight gain and carcass weight QTL regions. Moreover, VST analysis showed that XIRP2, ABCB1, CA1, ASPA and EEF2 differed significantly between the synthetic breed and local sheep breed. The duplication of the ABCB1 gene may be closely related to adaptation to the plateau environment in Panou sheep, which deserves further study. Additionally, cluster analysis, based on all individuals, showed that the CNV clustering could be divided into two origins, indicating that some Tibetan sheep CNVs are likely to arise independently in different populations and contribute to population differences. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, we demonstrated the genome-wide distribution characteristics of CNVs in Panou sheep by whole genome resequencing. The results provides a valuable genetic variation resource and help to understand the genetic characteristics of Tibetan sheep. This study also provides useful information for the improvement and breeding of Tibetan sheep in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Shi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070, China
- College of Animal Science & Technology, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
| | - Taotao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Manchun Su
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Qiao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Xia Lang
- Institute of Animal & Pasture Science and Green Agriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Youji Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
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Ben Jemaa S, Tolone M, Sardina MT, Di Gerlando R, Chessari G, Criscione A, Persichilli C, Portolano B, Mastrangelo S. A genome-wide comparison between selected and unselected Valle del Belice sheep reveals differences in population structure and footprints of recent selection. J Anim Breed Genet 2023; 140:558-567. [PMID: 37226373 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
About three decades of breeding and selection in the Valle del Belìce sheep are expected to have left several genomic footprints related to milk production traits. In this study, we have assembled a dataset with 451 individuals of the Valle del Belìce sheep breed: 184 animals that underwent directional selection for milk production and 267 unselected animals, genotyped for 40,660 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Three different statistical approaches, both within (iHS and ROH) and between (Rsb) groups, were used to identify genomic regions potentially under selection. Population structure analyses separated all individuals according to their belonging to the two groups. A total of four genomic regions on two chromosomes were jointly identified by at least two statistical approaches. Several candidate genes for milk production were identified, corroborating the polygenic nature of this trait and which may provide clues to potential new selection targets. We also found candidate genes for growth and reproductive traits. Overall, the identified genes may explain the effect of selection to improve the performances related to milk production traits in the breed. Further studies using high-density array data, would be particularly relevant to refine and validate these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slim Ben Jemaa
- Laboratoire des Productions Animales et Fourragères, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, Université de Carthage, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Marco Tolone
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Sardina
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rosalia Di Gerlando
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giorgio Chessari
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Andrea Criscione
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Christian Persichilli
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Ambientale e Scienze dell'alimentazione, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Baldassare Portolano
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Shinde SS, Sharma A, Vijay N. Decoding the fibromelanosis locus complex chromosomal rearrangement of black-bone chicken: genetic differentiation, selective sweeps and protein-coding changes in Kadaknath chicken. Front Genet 2023; 14:1180658. [PMID: 37424723 PMCID: PMC10325862 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1180658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Black-bone chicken (BBC) meat is popular for its distinctive taste and texture. A complex chromosomal rearrangement at the fibromelanosis (Fm) locus on the 20th chromosome results in increased endothelin-3 (EDN3) gene expression and is responsible for melanin hyperpigmentation in BBC. We use public long-read sequencing data of the Silkie breed to resolve high-confidence haplotypes at the Fm locus spanning both Dup1 and Dup2 regions and establish that the Fm_2 scenario is correct of the three possible scenarios of the complex chromosomal rearrangement. The relationship between Chinese and Korean BBC breeds with Kadaknath native to India is underexplored. Our data from whole-genome re-sequencing establish that all BBC breeds, including Kadaknath, share the complex chromosomal rearrangement junctions at the fibromelanosis (Fm) locus. We also identify two Fm locus proximal regions (∼70 Kb and ∼300 Kb) with signatures of selection unique to Kadaknath. These regions harbor several genes with protein-coding changes, with the bactericidal/permeability-increasing-protein-like gene having two Kadaknath-specific changes within protein domains. Our results indicate that protein-coding changes in the bactericidal/permeability-increasing-protein-like gene hitchhiked with the Fm locus in Kadaknath due to close physical linkage. Identifying this Fm locus proximal selective sweep sheds light on the genetic distinctiveness of Kadaknath compared to other BBC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nagarjun Vijay
- Computational Evolutionary Genomics Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, IISER Bhopal, Bhauri, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Wild sheep on St Kilda. Vet Rec 2023; 192:450-452. [PMID: 37265311 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.3145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
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Adeniyi OO, Medugorac I, Grochowska E, Düring RA, Lühken G. Single-Locus and Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies Identify Genes Associated with Liver Cu Concentration in Merinoland Sheep. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14051053. [PMID: 37239413 DOI: 10.3390/genes14051053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Economic losses due to copper intoxication or deficiency is a problem encountered by sheep farmers. The aim of this study was to investigate the ovine genome for genomic regions and candidate genes responsible for variability in liver copper concentration. Liver samples were collected from slaughtered lambs of the Merinoland breed from two farms, and used for measurement of copper concentration and genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of 45,511 SNPs and 130 samples were finally used for analysis, in which single-locus and several multi-locus GWAS (SL-GWAS; ML-GWAS) methods were employed. Gene enrichment analysis was performed for identified candidate genes to detect gene ontology (GO) terms significantly associated with hepatic copper levels. The SL-GWAS and a minimum of two ML-GWAS identified two and thirteen significant SNPs, respectively. Within genomic regions surrounding identified SNPs, we observed nine promising candidate genes such as DYNC1I2, VPS35, SLC38A9 and CHMP1A. GO terms such as lysosomal membrane, mitochondrial inner membrane and sodium:proton antiporter activity were significantly enriched. Genes involved in these identified GO terms mediate multivesicular body (MVB) fusion with lysosome for degradation and control mitochondrial membrane permeability. This reveals the polygenic status of this trait and candidate genes for further studies on breeding for copper tolerance in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusegun O Adeniyi
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Ludwigstrasse 21, 35390 Giessen, Germany
| | - Ivica Medugorac
- Population Genomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Lena-Christ-Str. 48, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ewa Grochowska
- Department of Animal Biotechnology and Genetics, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Mazowiecka 28 St., 85-084 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Rolf-Alexander Düring
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, Interdisciplinary Research Center for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Gesine Lühken
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Ludwigstrasse 21, 35390 Giessen, Germany
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Zhang T, Li H, Larsen PF, Ba H, Shi H, Zhang H, Liu Z. The Genetic Diversity of Mink ( Neovison vison) Populations in China. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091497. [PMID: 37174534 PMCID: PMC10177056 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The American mink (Neovison vison) is a semiaquatic species of Mustelid native to North America that is now widespread in China. However, the knowledge of genetic diversity of mink in China is still limited. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and identified significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mink populations of five different color types in three different mink farms in China. Using double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, we identified a total of 1.3 million SNPs. After filtering the SNPs, phylogenetic tree, Fst, principal component, and population structure analyses were performed. The results demonstrated that red mink and black mink grouped, with separate clustering of all other color types. The population divergence index (Fst) study confirmed that different mink populations were distinct (K = 4). Two populations with different coat colors were subjected to the selection signature analysis, and 2300 genes were found to have a clear selection signature. The genes with a selection signature were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) categorization and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, the results revealed that the genes with a selection signature were enriched in the melanogenesis pathway. These study's findings have set the stage for improved breeding and conservation of genetic resources in real-world practical mink farming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tietao Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Key Laboratory of Special Economic Animal Genetic Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China
| | - Hu Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Key Laboratory of Special Economic Animal Genetic Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China
- Colleges of Animal Science, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Peter Foged Larsen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Key Laboratory of Special Economic Animal Genetic Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China
| | - Hengxing Ba
- Institute of Antler Science and Product Technology, Changchun Sci-Tech University, Changchun 130112, China
| | - Hongyu Shi
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Key Laboratory of Special Economic Animal Genetic Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China
- Colleges of Animal Science, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Haihua Zhang
- Colleges of Animal Science, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Zongyue Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Key Laboratory of Special Economic Animal Genetic Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences, The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130112, China
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35
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Luan Y, Wu S, Wang M, Pu Y, Zhao Q, Ma Y, Jiang L, He X. Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040591. [PMID: 37106791 PMCID: PMC10136283 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Horns, also known as headgear, are a unique structure of ruminants. As ruminants are globally distributed, the study of horn formation is critical not only for increasing our understanding of natural and sexual selection but also for the breeding of polled sheep breeds to facilitate modern sheep farming. Despite this, a significant number of the underlying genetic pathways in sheep horn remain unclear. In this study, to clarify the gene expression profile of horn buds and investigate the key genes in horn bud formation, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology was utilized to investigate differential gene expression in the horn buds and adjacent forehead skin of Altay sheep fetuses. There were only 68 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified, consisting of 58 up-regulated genes and 10 down-regulated genes. RXFP2 was differentially up-regulated in the horn buds and had the highest significance (p-value = 7.42 × 10-14). In addition, 32 DEGs were horn-related genes identified in previous studies, such as RXFP2, FOXL2, SFRP4, SFRP2, KRT1, KRT10, WNT7B, and WNT3. Further, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched with regard to growth, development, and cell differentiation. Pathway analysis revealed that the Wnt signaling pathway may be responsible for horn development. Further, through combining the protein-protein interaction networks of the DEGs, it was found that the top five hub genes, namely, ACAN, SFRP2, SFRP4, WNT3, and WNT7B, were also associated with horn development. Our results suggest that only a few key genes, including RXFP2, are involved in bud formation. This study not only validates the expression of candidate genes identified at the transcriptome level in previous studies but also provides new possible marker genes for horn development, which may promote our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of horn formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Luan
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shangjie Wu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mingkun Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yabin Pu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qianjun Zhao
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuehui Ma
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lin Jiang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaohong He
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources Evaluation and Utilization, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
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Ceccobelli S, Landi V, Senczuk G, Mastrangelo S, Sardina MT, Ben-Jemaa S, Persichilli C, Karsli T, Bâlteanu VA, Raschia MA, Poli MA, Ciappesoni G, Muchadeyi FC, Dzomba EF, Kunene NW, Lühken G, Deniskova TE, Dotsev AV, Zinovieva NA, Zsolnai A, Anton I, Kusza S, Carolino N, Santos-Silva F, Kawęcka A, Świątek M, Niżnikowski R, Špehar M, Anaya G, Granero A, Perloiro T, Cardoso P, Grande S, de Los Santos BL, Danchin-Burge C, Pasquini M, Martínez Martínez A, Delgado Bermejo JV, Lasagna E, Ciani E, Sarti FM, Pilla F. A comprehensive analysis of the genetic diversity and environmental adaptability in worldwide Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:24. [PMID: 37013467 PMCID: PMC10069132 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00797-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To enhance and extend the knowledge about the global historical and phylogenetic relationships between Merino and Merino-derived breeds, 19 populations were genotyped with the OvineSNP50 BeadChip specifically for this study, while an additional 23 populations from the publicly available genotypes were retrieved. Three complementary statistical tests, Rsb (extended haplotype homozygosity between-populations), XP-EHH (cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity), and runs of homozygosity (ROH) islands were applied to identify genomic variants with potential impact on the adaptability of Merino genetic type in two contrasting climate zones. RESULTS The results indicate that a large part of the Merino's genetic relatedness and admixture patterns are explained by their genetic background and/or geographic origin, followed by local admixture. Multi-dimensional scaling, Neighbor-Net, Admixture, and TREEMIX analyses consistently provided evidence of the role of Australian, Rambouillet and German strains in the extensive gene introgression into the other Merino and Merino-derived breeds. The close relationship between Iberian Merinos and other South-western European breeds is consistent with the Iberian origin of the Merino genetic type, with traces from previous contributions of other Mediterranean stocks. Using Rsb and XP-EHH approaches, signatures of selection were detected spanning four genomic regions located on Ovis aries chromosomes (OAR) 1, 6 and 16, whereas two genomic regions on OAR6, that partially overlapped with the previous ones, were highlighted by ROH islands. Overall, the three approaches identified 106 candidate genes putatively under selection. Among them, genes related to immune response were identified via the gene interaction network. In addition, several candidate genes were found, such as LEKR1, LCORL, GHR, RBPJ, BMPR1B, PPARGC1A, and PRKAA1, related to morphological, growth and reproductive traits, adaptive thermogenesis, and hypoxia responses. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive dataset that includes most of the Merino and Merino-derived sheep breeds raised in different regions of the world. The results provide an in-depth picture of the genetic makeup of the current Merino and Merino-derived breeds, highlighting the possible selection pressures associated with the combined effect of anthropic and environmental factors. The study underlines the importance of Merino genetic types as invaluable resources of possible adaptive diversity in the context of the occurring climate changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Ceccobelli
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Landi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari ''Aldo Moro", 70010, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Gabriele Senczuk
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Sardina
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Slim Ben-Jemaa
- Laboratoire des Productions Animales et Fourragères, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, Université de Carthage, 2049, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Christian Persichilli
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Taki Karsli
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Valentin-Adrian Bâlteanu
- Laboratory of Genomics, Biodiversity, Animal Breeding and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Life Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - María Agustina Raschia
- Instituto de Genética "Ewald A. Favret", Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, CICVyA-CNIA, B1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mario Andrés Poli
- Instituto de Genética "Ewald A. Favret", Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, CICVyA-CNIA, B1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriel Ciappesoni
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, 90200, Canelones, Uruguay
| | | | - Edgar Farai Dzomba
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 3209, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | | | - Gesine Lühken
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Attila Zsolnai
- Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, 2053, Herceghalom, Hungary
| | - István Anton
- Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, 2053, Herceghalom, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Kusza
- Centre for Agricultural Genomics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nuno Carolino
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, 2005-048, Vale de Santarém, Portugal
| | - Fátima Santos-Silva
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, 2005-048, Vale de Santarém, Portugal
| | - Aldona Kawęcka
- Department of Sheep and Goat Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, 32-083, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marcin Świątek
- Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Roman Niżnikowski
- Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marija Špehar
- Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gabriel Anaya
- MERAGEM Group, Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Antonio Granero
- Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Ganado Merino (ACME), 28028, Madrid, Spain
| | - Tiago Perloiro
- Associação Nacional de Criadores de Ovinos da Raça Merina (ANCORME), 7005-665, Évora, Portugal
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Associação de Produtores Agropecuários (OVIBEIRA), 6000-244, Castelo Branco, Portugal
| | - Silverio Grande
- Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia (ASSONAPA), 00187, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Marina Pasquini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | | | | | - Emiliano Lasagna
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Ciani
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Maria Sarti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121, Perugia, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilla
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
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Kardos M, Zhang Y, Parsons KM, A Y, Kang H, Xu X, Liu X, Matkin CO, Zhang P, Ward EJ, Hanson MB, Emmons C, Ford MJ, Fan G, Li S. Inbreeding depression explains killer whale population dynamics. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:675-686. [PMID: 36941343 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-01995-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the factors that cause endangered populations to either grow or decline is crucial for preserving biodiversity. Conservation efforts often address extrinsic threats, such as environmental degradation and overexploitation, that can limit the recovery of endangered populations. Genetic factors such as inbreeding depression can also affect population dynamics but these effects are rarely measured in the wild and thus often neglected in conservation efforts. Here we show that inbreeding depression strongly influences the population dynamics of an endangered killer whale population, despite genomic signatures of purging of deleterious alleles via natural selection. We find that the 'Southern Residents', which are currently endangered despite nearly 50 years of conservation efforts, exhibit strong inbreeding depression for survival. Our population models suggest that this inbreeding depression limits population growth and predict further decline if the population remains genetically isolated and typical environmental conditions continue. The Southern Residents also had more inferred homozygous deleterious alleles than three other, growing, populations, further suggesting that inbreeding depression affects population fitness. These results demonstrate that inbreeding depression can substantially limit the recovery of endangered populations. Conservation actions focused only on extrinsic threats may therefore fail to account for key intrinsic genetic factors that also limit population growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marty Kardos
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Yaolei Zhang
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kim M Parsons
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yunga A
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China
| | - Hui Kang
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Xun Xu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xin Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | | | - Peijun Zhang
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Eric J Ward
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - M Bradley Hanson
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Candice Emmons
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael J Ford
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Guangyi Fan
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, China.
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Songhai Li
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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Araujo AC, Carneiro PLS, Oliveira HR, Lewis RM, Brito LF. SNP- and haplotype-based single-step genomic predictions for body weight, wool, and reproductive traits in North American Rambouillet sheep. J Anim Breed Genet 2023; 140:216-234. [PMID: 36408677 PMCID: PMC10099590 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Rambouillet sheep are commonly raised in extensive grazing systems in the US, mainly for wool and meat production. Genomic evaluations in US sheep breeds, including Rambouillet, are still incipient. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of performing genomic prediction of breeding values for various traits in Rambouillet sheep based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) or haplotypes (fitted as pseudo-SNP) under a single-step GBLUP approach. A total of 28,834 records for birth weight (BWT), 23,306 for postweaning weight (PWT), 5,832 for yearling weight (YWT), 9,880 for yearling fibre diameter (YFD), 11,872 for yearling greasy fleece weight (YGFW), and 15,984 for number of lambs born (NLB) were used in this study. Seven hundred forty-one individuals were genotyped using a moderate (50 K; n = 677) or high (600 K; n = 64) density SNP panel, in which 32 K SNP in common between the two SNP panels (after genotypic quality control) were used for further analyses. Single-step genomic predictions using SNP (H-BLUP) or haplotypes (HAP-BLUP) from blocks with different linkage disequilibrium (LD) thresholds (0.15, 0.35, 0.50, 0.65, and 0.80) were evaluated. We also considered different blending parameters when constructing the genomic relationship matrix used to predict the genomic-enhanced estimated breeding values (GEBV), with alpha equal to 0.95 or 0.50. The GEBV were compared to the estimated breeding values (EBV) obtained from traditional pedigree-based evaluations (A-BLUP). The mean theoretical accuracy ranged from 0.499 (A-BLUP for PWT) to 0.795 (HAP-BLUP using haplotypes from blocks with LD threshold of 0.35 and alpha equal to 0.95 for YFD). The prediction accuracies ranged from 0.143 (A-BLUP for PWT) to 0.330 (A-BLUP for YGFW) while the prediction bias ranged from -0.104 (H-BLUP for PWT) to 0.087 (HAP-BLUP using haplotypes from blocks with LD threshold of 0.15 and alpha equal to 0.95 for YGFW). The GEBV dispersion ranged from 0.428 (A-BLUP for PWT) to 1.035 (A-BLUP for YGFW). Similar results were observed for H-BLUP or HAP-BLUP, independently of the LD threshold to create the haplotypes, alpha value, or trait analysed. Using genomic information (fitting individual SNP or haplotypes) provided similar or higher prediction and theoretical accuracies and reduced the dispersion of the GEBV for body weight, wool, and reproductive traits in Rambouillet sheep. However, there were no clear improvements in the prediction bias when compared to pedigree-based predictions. The next step will be to enlarge the training populations for this breed to increase the benefits of genomic predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre C. Araujo
- Graduate Program in Animal SciencesState University of Southwestern BahiaItapetingaBahiaBrazil
- Department of Animal SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | | | | | - Ronald M. Lewis
- Department of Animal SciencesUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNebraskaUSA
| | - Luiz F. Brito
- Department of Animal SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
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Zhong T, Wang X, Huang C, Yang L, Zhao Q, Chen X, Freitas-de-Melo A, Zhan S, Wang L, Dai D, Cao J, Guo J, Li L, Zhang H, Niu L. A genome-wide perspective on the diversity and selection signatures in indigenous goats using 53 K single nucleotide polymorphism array. Animal 2023; 17:100706. [PMID: 36758301 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Tibetan goats, Taihang goats, Jining grey goats, and Meigu goats are the representative indigenous goats in China, found in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Western pastoral area, Northern and Southern agricultural regions. Very few studies have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the genomic diversity and selection of these breeds. We genotyped 96 unrelated individuals, using goat 53 K Illumina BeadChip array, of the following goat breeds: Tibetan (TG), Taihang (THG), Jining grey (JGG), and Meigu (MGG). A total of 45 951 single nucleotide polymorphisms were filtered to estimate the genetic diversity and selection signatures. All breeds had a high proportion (over 95%) of polymorphic loci. The observed and excepted heterozygosity ranged from 0.338 (MGG) to 0.402 (JGG) and 0.339 (MGG) to 0.395 (JGG), respectively. Clustering analysis displayed a genetically distinct lineage for each breed, and their Fst were greater than 0.25, indicating that they had a higher genetic differentiation between groups. Furthermore, effective population size reduced in all four populations, indicating a loss of genetic diversity. In addition, runs of homozygosity were mainly distributed in 5-10 Mb. Lastly, we identified signature genes, which were closely related to high-altitude adaptation (ADIRF) and prolificity (CNTROB, SMC3, and PTEN). This study provides a valuable resource for future studies on genome-wide perspectives on the diversity and selection signatures of Chinese indigenous goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xinlu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Chunhua Huang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Qianjun Zhao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaoyong Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Aline Freitas-de-Melo
- Departamento de Biociencias Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Siyuan Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Linjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Dinghui Dai
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Jiaxue Cao
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Jiazhong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Hongping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Lili Niu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
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Asmare S, Alemayehu K, Mwacharo J, Haile A, Abegaz S, Ahbara A. Genetic diversity and within-breed variation in three indigenous Ethiopian sheep based on whole-genome analysis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14863. [PMID: 37089312 PMCID: PMC10119558 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this work was to study genetic diversity by comparing whole genome sequence data of Rutana, Gumuz and Washera sheep found in Amhara and Benishanguel gumuz regional states of Ethiopia. We employed variant calling format tools version 0.1.15 to calculate some genetic diversity indices such as observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficient, and nucleotide diversity. The results revealed that, observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.33 in Gumuz to 0.34 in Rutana and Washera sheep. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.37 in Rutana to 0.38 in Gumuz and Washera sheep. Expected heterozygosity was found to be higher than observed heterozygosity. Higher inbreeding coefficient (0.12) was recorded for Gumuz sheep compared to 0.09 of Rutana and Washera sheep. Mean nucleotide diversity values were 0.0029, 0.0030 and 0.0028 for Gumuz, Rutana and Washera sheep, respectively. Higher values of nucleotide diversity were recorded. Population structure analysis using principal component analysis revealed no clear separation between Gumuz, Rutana and Washera sheep populations with possibility of gene flow attributed to geographical location proximity. The smaller population size, closed breeding system, genetic drift and uncontrolled (non-random) mating might lead to higher rate of inbreeding in Gumuz, Rutana and Washera sheep, requiring timely intervention. This intervention helps to prevent inbreeding depression and extinction of these valuable breeds of sheep, which helps in sustaining the livelihood of sheep keepers in lowlands and highlands. Nevertheless, the whole-genome analysis revealed high within-breed variation. Uncovered areas of studies like mapping quantitative trait loci, identifying genes underpinning productivity traits such as carcass quantity and meat quality could be carried out on diversified sheep resources identified by the current study. Identifying the genomic regions and biological pathways that contribute to explaining variability in these traits is of great importance for selection purposes. Designing conservation-based within-breed sheep selective breeding programs are recommended considering economically important traits into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisay Asmare
- Debre Markos University, Burie Campus, P.O. Box 18, Ethiopia
- Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Biotechnology Research Institute of Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
- Corresponding author. Debre Markos University, Burie Campus, P.O. Box 18, Ethiopia.
| | - Kefyalew Alemayehu
- Bahir Dar University, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Department of Animal Production and Technology, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Biotechnology Research Institute of Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
| | - Joram Mwacharo
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Aynalem Haile
- International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Solomon Abegaz
- Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Abulgasim Ahbara
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, The Roslin Institute Building, Midlothian, Edinburgh, UK
- Departments of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
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Assessing the Genomics Structure of Dorper and White Dorper Variants, and Dorper Populations in South Africa and Hungary. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030386. [PMID: 36979078 PMCID: PMC10045292 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Dorper sheep was developed for meat production in arid and semi-arid regions under extensive production systems in South Africa. Two variants with distinct head and neck colors were bred during their development process. White Dorper have a white coat while Dorper have a black head and neck. Both variants have grown in popularity around the world. Therefore, understanding the genomic architecture between South African Dorpers and Dorper populations adapted to other climatic regions, as well as genomic differences between Dorper and White Dorper variants is vital for their molecular management. Using the ovine 50K SNP chip, this study compared the genetic architecture of Dorper variants between populations from South Africa and Hungary. The Dorper populations in both countries had high genetic diversity levels, although Dorper in Hungary showed high levels of inbreeding. White Dorpers from both countries were genetically closely related, while Dorpers were distantly related according to principal component analysis and neighbor-joining tree. Additionally, whereas all groups displayed unique selection signatures for local adaptation, Dorpers from Hungary had a similar linkage disequilibrium decay. Environmental differences and color may have influenced the genetic differentiation between the Dorpers. For their molecular management and prospective genomic selection, it is crucial to understand the Dorper sheep’s genomic architecture, and the results of this study can be interpreted as a step in this direction.
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Liu Z, Fu S, He X, Liu X, Shi C, Dai L, Wang B, Chai Y, Liu Y, Zhang W. Estimates of Genomic Heritability and the Marker-Derived Gene for Re(Production) Traits in Xinggao Sheep. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030579. [PMID: 36980850 PMCID: PMC10048694 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Xinggao sheep are a breed of Chinese domestic sheep that are adapted to the extremely cold climatic features of the Hinggan League in China. The economically vital reproductive trait of ewes (litter size, LS) and productive traits of lambs (birth weight, BWT; weaning weight, WWT; and average daily gain, ADG) are expressed in females and later in life after most of the selection decisions have been made. This study estimated the genetic parameters for four traits to explore the genetic mechanisms underlying the variation, and we performed genome-wide association study (GWAS) tests on a small sample size to identify novel marker trait associations (MTAs) associated with prolificacy and growth. We detected two suggestive significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with LS and eight significant SNPs for BWT, WWT, and ADG. These candidate loci and genes also provide valuable information for further fine-mapping of QTLs and improvement of reproductive and productive traits in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaixia Liu
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of Genomic Big Data for Agriculture, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Shaoyin Fu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
| | - Xiaolong He
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
| | - Xuewen Liu
- College of Agronomy, Animal Husbandry and Bioengineering, Xing’an Vocational and Technical College, Ulanhot 137400, China
| | - Caixia Shi
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Lingli Dai
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of Genomic Big Data for Agriculture, Hohhot 010018, China
- Veterinary Research Institute, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
| | - Biao Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
| | - Yuan Chai
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Yongbin Liu
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (W.Z.)
| | - Wenguang Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of Genomic Big Data for Agriculture, Hohhot 010018, China
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (W.Z.)
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Romanov MN, Abdelmanova AS, Fisinin VI, Gladyr EA, Volkova NA, Koshkina OA, Rodionov AN, Vetokh AN, Gusev IV, Anshakov DV, Stanishevskaya OI, Dotsev AV, Griffin DK, Zinovieva NA. Selective footprints and genes relevant to cold adaptation and other phenotypic traits are unscrambled in the genomes of divergently selected chicken breeds. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:35. [PMID: 36829208 PMCID: PMC9951459 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-022-00813-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genomes of worldwide poultry breeds divergently selected for performance and other phenotypic traits may also be affected by, and formed due to, past and current admixture events. Adaptation to diverse environments, including acclimation to harsh climatic conditions, has also left selection footprints in breed genomes. RESULTS Using the Chicken 50K_CobbCons SNP chip, we genotyped four divergently selected breeds: two aboriginal, cold tolerant Ushanka and Orloff Mille Fleur, one egg-type Russian White subjected to artificial selection for cold tolerance, and one meat-type White Cornish. Signals of selective sweeps were determined in the studied breeds using three methods: (1) assessment of runs of homozygosity islands, (2) FST based population differential analysis, and (3) haplotype differentiation analysis. Genomic regions of true selection signatures were identified by two or more methods or in two or more breeds. In these regions, we detected 540 prioritized candidate genes supplemented them with those that occurred in one breed using one statistic and were suggested in other studies. Amongst them, SOX5, ME3, ZNF536, WWP1, RIPK2, OSGIN2, DECR1, TPO, PPARGC1A, BDNF, MSTN, and beta-keratin genes can be especially mentioned as candidates for cold adaptation. Epigenetic factors may be involved in regulating some of these important genes (e.g., TPO and BDNF). CONCLUSION Based on a genome-wide scan, our findings can help dissect the genetic architecture underlying various phenotypic traits in chicken breeds. These include genes representing the sine qua non for adaptation to harsh environments. Cold tolerance in acclimated chicken breeds may be developed following one of few specific gene expression mechanisms or more than one overlapping response known in cold-exposed individuals, and this warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N. Romanov
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia ,grid.9759.20000 0001 2232 2818School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Alexandra S. Abdelmanova
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Vladimir I. Fisinin
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Federal State Budget Scientific Institution Federal Research Centre “All-Russian Poultry Research and Technological Institute” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergiev Posad, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Elena A. Gladyr
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Natalia A. Volkova
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Olga A. Koshkina
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Andrey N. Rodionov
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Anastasia N. Vetokh
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Igor V. Gusev
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Dmitry V. Anshakov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Breeding and Genetic Centre “Zagorsk Experimental Breeding Farm” – Branch of the Federal Research Centre “All-Russian Poultry Research and Technological Institute” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergiev Posad, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Olga I. Stanishevskaya
- grid.473314.6Russian Research Institute of Farm Animal Genetics and Breeding – Branch of the L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Arsen V. Dotsev
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Darren K. Griffin
- grid.9759.20000 0001 2232 2818School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Natalia A. Zinovieva
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
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Cheng H, Zhang Z, Wen J, Lenstra JA, Heller R, Cai Y, Guo Y, Li M, Li R, Li W, He S, Wang J, Shao J, Song Y, Zhang L, Billah M, Wang X, Liu M, Jiang Y. Long divergent haplotypes introgressed from wild sheep are associated with distinct morphological and adaptive characteristics in domestic sheep. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010615. [PMID: 36821549 PMCID: PMC9949681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The worldwide sheep population comprises more than 1000 breeds. Together, these exhibit a considerable morphological diversity, which has not been extensively investigated at the molecular level. Here, we analyze whole-genome sequencing individuals of 1,098 domestic sheep from 154 breeds, and 69 wild sheep from seven Ovis species. On average, we detected 6.8%, 1.0% and 0.2% introgressed sequence in domestic sheep originating from Iranian mouflon, urial and argali, respectively, with rare introgressions from other wild species. Interestingly, several introgressed haplotypes contributed to the morphological differentiations across sheep breeds, such as a RXFP2 haplotype from Iranian mouflon conferring the spiral horn trait, a MSRB3 haplotype from argali strongly associated with ear morphology, and a VPS13B haplotype probably originating from urial and mouflon possibly associated with facial traits. Our results reveal that introgression events from wild Ovis species contributed to the high rate of morphological differentiation in sheep breeds, but also to individual variation within breeds. We propose that long divergent haplotypes are a ubiquitous source of phenotypic variation that allows adaptation to a variable environment, and that these remain intact in the receiving population probably due to reduced recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhuangbiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jiayue Wen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Johannes A. Lenstra
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rasmus Heller
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yudong Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yingwei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Ran Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Wenrong Li
- Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding & Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of Xinjiang, Institute of Biotechnology, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Sangang He
- Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding & Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of Xinjiang, Institute of Biotechnology, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jintao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Junjie Shao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yuxuan Song
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Masum Billah
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xihong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Mingjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding & Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of Xinjiang, Institute of Biotechnology, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
- * E-mail: (ML); (YJ)
| | - Yu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- * E-mail: (ML); (YJ)
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Saleh AA, Xue L, Zhao Y. Screening Indels from the whole genome to identify the candidates and their association with economic traits in several goat breeds. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:58. [PMID: 36757519 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-00981-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the re-sequencing of our previous whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for selected individuals of Dazu-black goat (DBG) and Inner-Mongolia Cashmere goat (IMCG) breeds was used to detect and compare the differentiation in Indels depending on the reference genome of goat. Then, three selected candidate Indels rs668795676, rs657996810, and rs669452874 of the three genes SUFU, SYCP2L and GLIPR1L1, respectively, have been chosen, based on the results of prior GWAS across the genome, and examined for their association with body weight and dimensions (body height, body length, heart girth, chest width, cannon circumference, and chest depth) by kompetitive allele specific PCR assay for 342 goats from the three studied goat breeds (DBG, n = 203; ♂99, ♀104), IMCG (n = 65; 15♂, 50♀), and Hechuan white goat (HWG, n = 74; 34♂, 40♀) breeds. The analysis of 192.747 Gb WGS revealed an average 334,151 Indels in the whole genome of DBG and IMCG breeds. Chromosome 1 had a maximum number of mutations (Indels) of 58,497 and 55,527 for IMCG and DBG, respectively, while chromosome 25 had the least number of mutations of 15,680 and 16,103 for IMCG and DBG, respectively. The majority of Indels were either Ins or Del of short fragments of 1-5 bp, which covered 79.06 and 71.78% of the total number of Indels mutations in IMCG and DBG, respectively. Comparing the differences of Indels between the studied goat breeds revealed 100 and 110 unique Indels for IMCG and DBG, respectively. The Indels loci in the intron region were unique for both studied goat breeds which were related to 30 and 38 candidate genes in IMCG and DBG, respectively, including SUFU, SYCP2L, and GLIPR1L1 genes. Concerning rs669452874 locus, body height and body length of Del/Del genotype in DBG were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of Ins/Del genotype, while body height and body length of Del/Del genotype in IMCG were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those of Ins/Ins genotype, whereas body height and body length and heart girth of Del/Del genotype in HWG were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those of the Ins/Del and Ins/Ins genotypes. Thus, Del/Del genotype of rs669452874 locus can be used as a candidate molecular marker related to the body dimensions in the studied goat breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A Saleh
- Animal and Fish Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Alshatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria City, 11865, Egypt.
| | - Lei Xue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Forage & Herbivore, Chongqing Engineering Research Centre for Herbivores Resource Protection and Utilization, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongju Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Forage & Herbivore, Chongqing Engineering Research Centre for Herbivores Resource Protection and Utilization, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
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46
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Bedhiaf-Romdhani S, Baazaoui I, Dodds KG, Brauning R, Anderson RM, Van Stijn TC, McCulloch AF, McEwan JC. Efficiency of genotyping by sequencing in inferring genomic relatedness and molecular insights into fat tail selection in Tunisian sheep. Anim Genet 2023; 54:389-397. [PMID: 36727208 DOI: 10.1111/age.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In developing countries, the use of simple and cost-efficient molecular technology is crucial for genetic characterization of local animal resources and better development of conservation strategies. The genotyping by sequencing (GBS) technique, also called restriction enzyme- reduced representational sequencing, is an efficient, cost-effective method for simultaneous discovery and genotyping of many markers. In the present study, we applied a two-enzyme GBS protocol (PstI/MspI) to discover and genotype SNP markers among 197 Tunisian sheep samples. A total of 100 333 bi-allelic SNPs were discovered and genotyped with an SNP call rate of 0.69 and mean sample depth 3.33. The genomic relatedness between 183 samples grouped the samples perfectly to their populations and pointed out a high genetic relatedness of inbred subpopulation reflecting the current adopted reproductive strategies. The genome-wide association study contrasting fat vs. thin-tailed breeds detected 41 significant variants including a peak positioned on OAR20. We identified FOXC1, GMDS, VEGFA, OXCT1, VRTN and BMP2 as the most promising for sheep tail-type trait. The GBS data have been useful to assess the population structure and improve our understanding of the genomic architecture of distinctive characteristics shaped by selection pressure in local sheep breeds. This study successfully investigates a cost-efficient method to discover genotypes, assign populations and understand insights into sheep adaptation to arid area. GBS could be of potential utility in livestock species in developing/emerging countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Bedhiaf-Romdhani
- Laboratoire des Productions Animales et Fourragères, INRA-Tunisie, Université de Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Imen Baazaoui
- Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Bizerte, Tunisia
| | - Ken G Dodds
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - Rudiger Brauning
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - Rayna M Anderson
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | | | - Alan F McCulloch
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - John Colin McEwan
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
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47
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Seasonal Adaptation: Geographic Photoperiod-Temperature Patterns Explain Genetic Variation in the Common Vole Tsh Receptor. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020292. [PMID: 36833219 PMCID: PMC9957289 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate photoperiodic neuroendocrine system uses the photoperiod as a proxy to time the annual rhythms in reproduction. The thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) is a key protein in the mammalian seasonal reproduction pathway. Its abundance and function can tune sensitivity to the photoperiod. To investigate seasonal adaptation in mammals, the hinge region and the first part of the transmembrane domain of the Tshr gene were sequenced for 278 common vole (Microtus arvalis) specimens from 15 localities in Western Europe and 28 localities in Eastern Europe. Forty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; twenty-two intronic and twenty-seven exonic) were found, with a weak or lack of correlation with pairwise geographical distance, latitude, longitude, and altitude. By applying a temperature threshold to the local photoperiod-temperature ellipsoid, we obtained a predicted critical photoperiod (pCPP) as a proxy for the spring onset of local primary food production (grass). The obtained pCPP explains the distribution of the genetic variation in Tshr in Western Europe through highly significant correlations with five intronic and seven exonic SNPs. The relationship between pCPP and SNPs was lacking in Eastern Europe. Thus, Tshr, which plays a pivotal role in the sensitivity of the mammalian photoperiodic neuroendocrine system, was targeted by natural selection in Western European vole populations, resulting in the optimized timing of seasonal reproduction.
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48
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Granero A, Anaya G, Alcalde MJ. Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020313. [PMID: 36670853 PMCID: PMC9855035 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Merino breed, which originates from Spain, is the most emblematic livestock breed in the world, since it is the first with a worldwide extension and has had an important impact on the genetic origin of several of the main current sheep populations. For this reason, it is of vital importance to typify the historical genetic lines of the original Spanish Merino breed and thereby ensure the conservation of its variability. In the present study, we used 337 purebred animals (males and females) registered in the Genealogical Book of the Native Merino Breed. All the animals were descendants of herds from six ancestral genetic lines (Maesso, Egea, Granda, López-Montenegro, Hidalgo, and Donoso). Significant differences were found in all the morphometric traits and indexes between the different genetic lines. Using discriminant analysis, 84% of the animals were classified correctly into their historical genetic lines. Furthermore, the distances between the lines, calculated by a cluster test, showed that Hidalgo, Maesso, and Donoso had the most clearly defined lines, while the Granda, López-Montenegro, and Egea lines were more similar to each other. All this demonstrates the rich genetic variability existing in the genuine gene pool of the Merino sheep breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Granero
- Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Ganado Merino (ACME), 28028 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gabriel Anaya
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, CN IV, KM 396, 17071 Córdoba, Spain
| | - María J. Alcalde
- Agronomy Department, University of Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
- Correspondence:
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49
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Gaspar D, Usié A, Leão C, Guimarães S, Pires AE, Matos C, Ramos AM, Ginja C. Genome-wide assessment of the population structure and genetic diversity of four Portuguese native sheep breeds. Front Genet 2023; 14:1109490. [PMID: 36713074 PMCID: PMC9880275 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1109490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As the effects of global warming become increasingly complex and difficult to manage, the conservation and sustainable use of locally adapted sheep breeds are gaining ground. Portuguese native sheep breeds are important reservoirs of genetic diversity, highly adapted to harsh environments and reared in low input production systems. Genomic data that would describe the breeds in detail and accelerate the selection of more resilient animals to be able to cope with climatic challenges are still lacking. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 37 animals from four Portuguese native sheep breeds (Campaniça, Bordaleira Serra da Estrela, Merino Branco and Merino Preto) and 19 crossbred sheep to make inferences on their genomic diversity and population structure. Mean genomic diversities were very similar across these breeds (.30 ≤ Ho ≤ .34; .30 ≤ He ≤ .35; 1.7 × 10-3 ≤ π ≤ 3.1 × 10-3) and the levels of inbreeding were negligible (.005 ≤ FIS ≤ .038). The Principal Components, Bayesian clustering and Treemix analyses split the Portuguese breeds in two main groups which are consistent with historical records: one comprising Campaniça and Serra da Estrela together with other European and transboundary dairy breeds; and another of the well-differentiated multi-purpose Merino and Merino-related breeds. Runs of homozygosity analyses yielded 1,690 ROH segments covering an average of 2.27 Gb across the genome in all individuals. The overall genome covered by ROH segments varied from 27,75 Mb in Serra da Estrela to 61,29 Mb in Campaniça. The phylogenetic analysis of sheep mitogenomes grouped the Portuguese native breeds within sub-haplogroup B1a along with two animals of the Akkaraman breed from Turkey. This result provides additional support to a direct influence of Southwest Asian sheep in local breeds from the Iberian Peninsula. Our study is a first step pertaining to the genomic characterization of Portuguese sheep breeds and the results emphasize the potential of genomic data as a valid tool to guide conservation efforts in locally adapted sheep breeds. In addition, the genomic data we generated can be used to identify markers for breed assignment and traceability of certified breed-products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gaspar
- Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo (CEBAL), Instituto Politécnico de Beja (IPBeja), Beja, Portugal,BIOPOIS/CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal,*Correspondence: Daniel Gaspar, ; Catarina Ginja,
| | - Ana Usié
- Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo (CEBAL), Instituto Politécnico de Beja (IPBeja), Beja, Portugal,MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Évora, Portugal
| | - Célia Leão
- Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo (CEBAL), Instituto Politécnico de Beja (IPBeja), Beja, Portugal,MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Évora, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Guimarães
- BIOPOIS/CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Ana Elisabete Pires
- BIOPOIS/CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal,Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - António Marcos Ramos
- Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo (CEBAL), Instituto Politécnico de Beja (IPBeja), Beja, Portugal,MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Évora, Portugal
| | - Catarina Ginja
- BIOPOIS/CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal,*Correspondence: Daniel Gaspar, ; Catarina Ginja,
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50
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Dzomba EF, Van Der Nest MA, Mthembu JNT, Soma P, Snyman MA, Chimonyo M, Muchadeyi FC. Selection signature analysis and genome-wide divergence of South African Merino breeds from their founders. Front Genet 2023; 13:932272. [PMID: 36685923 PMCID: PMC9847500 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.932272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Merino sheep are a breed of choice across the world, popularly kept for their wool and mutton value. They are often reared as a pure breed or used in crossbreeding and are a common component in synthetic breed development. This study evaluated genetic diversity, population structure, and breed divergence in 279 animals of Merino and Merino-based sheep breeds in South Africa using the Illumina Ovine SNP 50K BeadChip. The sheep breeds analysed included the three Merino-derived breeds of Dohne Merino (n = 50); Meatmaster (n = 47); and Afrino (n = 52) and five presumed ancestral populations of Merinos (Merino (n = 46); South African Merino (n = 10); and South African Mutton Merino (n = 8)); and the non-Merino founding breeds of Damara (n = 20); Ronderib Afrikaner (n = 17); and Nguni (n = 29). Highest genetic diversity values were observed in the Dohne Merino (DM), with H o = 0.39 ± 0.01, followed by the Meatmaster and South African Merino (SAM), with H o = 0.37 ± 0.03. The level of inbreeding ranged from 0.0 ± 0.02 (DM) to 0.27 ± 0.05 (Nguni). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed high within-population variance (>80%) across all population categories. The first principal component (PC1) separated the Merino, South African Mutton Merino (SAMM), DM, and Afrino (AFR) from the Meatmaster, Damara, Nguni, and Ronderib Afrikaner (RDA). PC2 aligned each Merino-derived breed with its presumed ancestors and separated the SAMM from the Merino and SAM. The iHS analysis yielded selection sweeps across the AFR (12 sweeps), Meatmaster (four sweeps), and DM (29 sweeps). Hair/wool trait genes such as FGF12; metabolic genes of ICA1, NXPH1, and GPR171; and immune response genes of IL22, IL26, IFNAR1, and IL10RB were reported. Other genes include HMGA, which was observed as selection signatures in other populations; WNT5A, important in the development of the skeleton and mammary glands; ANTXR2, associated with adaptation to variation in climatic conditions; and BMP2, which has been reported as strongly selected in both fat-tailed and thin-tailed sheep. The DM vs. SAMM shared all six sweep regions on chromosomes 1, 10, and 11 with AFR vs. SAMM. Genes such as FGF12 on OAR 1:191.3-194.7 Mb and MAP2K4 on OAR 11:28.6-31.3 Mb were observed. The selection sweep on chromosome 10 region 28.6-30.3 Mb harbouring the RXFP2 for polledness was shared between the DM vs. Merino, the Meatmaster vs. Merino, and the Meatmaster vs. Nguni. The DM vs. Merino and the Meatmaster vs. Merino also shared an Rsb-based selection sweep on chromosome 1 region 268.5-269.9 Mb associated with the Calpain gene, CAPN7. The study demonstrated some genetic similarities between the Merino and Merino-derived breeds emanating from common founding populations and some divergence driven by breed-specific selection goals. Overall, information regarding the evolution of these composite breeds from their founding population will guide future breed improvement programs and management and conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. F. Dzomba
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa,*Correspondence: E. F. Dzomba,
| | - M. A. Van Der Nest
- Agricultural Research Council Biotechnology Platform, Private Bag X5 Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - J. N. T. Mthembu
- Discipline of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - P Soma
- Agricultural Research Council, Animal Production and Improvement, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - M. A. Snyman
- Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute, Middelburg, South Africa
| | - M. Chimonyo
- Discipline of Animal and Poultry Science, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - F. C. Muchadeyi
- Agricultural Research Council Biotechnology Platform, Private Bag X5 Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
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