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Sigurðardóttir H, Ablondi M, Kristjansson T, Lindgren G, Eriksson S. Genetic diversity and signatures of selection in Icelandic horses and Exmoor ponies. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:772. [PMID: 39118059 PMCID: PMC11308356 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10682-8] [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: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Icelandic horse and Exmoor pony are ancient, native breeds, adapted to harsh environmental conditions and they have both undergone severe historic bottlenecks. However, in modern days, the selection pressures on these breeds differ substantially. The aim of this study was to assess genetic diversity in both breeds through expected (HE) and observed heterozygosity (HO) and effective population size (Ne). Furthermore, we aimed to identify runs of homozygosity (ROH) to estimate and compare genomic inbreeding and signatures of selection in the breeds. RESULTS HO was estimated at 0.34 and 0.33 in the Icelandic horse and Exmoor pony, respectively, aligning closely with HE of 0.34 for both breeds. Based on genomic data, the Ne for the last generation was calculated to be 125 individuals for Icelandic horses and 42 for Exmoor ponies. Genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH) ranged from 0.08 to 0.20 for the Icelandic horse and 0.12 to 0.27 for the Exmoor pony, with the majority of inbreeding attributed to short ROHs in both breeds. Several ROH islands associated with performance were identified in the Icelandic horse, featuring target genes such as DMRT3, DOCK8, EDNRB, SLAIN1, and NEURL1. Shared ROH islands between both breeds were linked to metabolic processes (FOXO1), body size, and the immune system (CYRIB), while private ROH islands in Exmoor ponies were associated with coat colours (ASIP, TBX3, OCA2), immune system (LYG1, LYG2), and fertility (TEX14, SPO11, ADAM20). CONCLUSIONS Evaluations of genetic diversity and inbreeding reveal insights into the evolutionary trajectories of both breeds, highlighting the consequences of population bottlenecks. While the genetic diversity in the Icelandic horse is acceptable, a critically low genetic diversity was estimated for the Exmoor pony, which requires further validation. Identified signatures of selection highlight the differences in the use of the two breeds as well as their adaptive trait similarities. The results provide insight into genomic regions under selection pressure in a gaited performance horse breed and various adaptive traits in small-sized native horse breeds. This understanding contributes to preserving genetic diversity and population health in these equine populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiðrún Sigurðardóttir
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden.
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri, Borgarbyggð, 311, Iceland.
| | - Michela Ablondi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Parma, 43126, Italy
| | - Thorvaldur Kristjansson
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri, Borgarbyggð, 311, Iceland
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden
- Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Susanne Eriksson
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden
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Sigurðardóttir H, Boije H, Albertsdóttir E, Kristjansson T, Rhodin M, Lindgren G, Eriksson S. The genetics of gaits in Icelandic horses goes beyond DMRT3, with RELN and STAU2 identified as two new candidate genes. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:89. [PMID: 38082412 PMCID: PMC10712087 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00863-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In domesticated animals, many important traits are complex and regulated by a large number of genes, genetic interactions, and environmental influences. The ability of Icelandic horses to perform the gait 'pace' is largely influenced by a single mutation in the DMRT3 gene, but genetic modifiers likely exist. The aim of this study was to identify novel genetic factors that influence pacing ability and quality of the gait through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and correlate new findings to previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) and mutations. RESULTS Three hundred and seventy-two Icelandic horses were genotyped with the 670 K+ Axiom Equine Genotyping Array, of which 362 had gait scores from breeding field tests. A GWAS revealed several SNPs on Equus caballus chromosomes (ECA) 4, 9, and 20 that were associated (p < 1.0 × 10-5) with the breeding field test score for pace. The two novel QTL on ECA4 and 9 were located within the RELN and STAU2 genes, respectively, which have previously been associated with locomotor behavior in mice. Haplotypes were identified and the most frequent one for each of these two QTL had a large favorable effect on pace score. The second most frequent haplotype for the RELN gene was positively correlated with scores for tölt, trot, gallop, and canter. Similarly, the second most frequent haplotype for the STAU2 gene had favorable effects on scores for trot and gallop. Different genotype ratios of the haplotypes in the RELN and STAU2 genes were also observed in groups of horses with different levels of pacing ability. Furthermore, interactions (p < 0.05) were detected for the QTL in the RELN and STAU2 genes with the DMRT3 gene. The novel QTL on ECA4, 9, and 20, along with the effects of the DMRT3 variant, were estimated to account jointly for 27.4% of the phenotypic variance of the gait pace. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide valuable information about the genetic architecture of pace beyond the contribution of the DMRT3 gene and indicate genetic interactions that contribute to the complexity of this trait. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the underlying genetic factors and interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiðrún Sigurðardóttir
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarbyggð, 311, Hvanneyri, Iceland.
| | - Henrik Boije
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elsa Albertsdóttir
- The Icelandic Agricultural Advisory Centre, Hagatorgi 1, 107, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Thorvaldur Kristjansson
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Borgarbyggð, 311, Hvanneyri, Iceland
| | - Marie Rhodin
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7011, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susanne Eriksson
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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Vincelette A. The Characteristics, Distribution, Function, and Origin of Alternative Lateral Horse Gaits. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2557. [PMID: 37627349 PMCID: PMC10451235 DOI: 10.3390/ani13162557] [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: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This article traces the characteristics, origin, distribution, and function of alternative lateral horse gaits, i.e., intermediate speed lateral-sequence gaits. Such alternative lateral gaits (running walk, rack, broken pace, hard pace, and broken trot) are prized by equestrians today for their comfort and have been found in select horse breeds for hundreds of years and even exhibited in fossil equid trackways. After exploring the evolution and development of alternative lateral gaits via fossil equid trackways, human art, and historical writings, the functional and genetic factors that led to the genesis of these gaits are discussed. Such gaited breeds were particularly favored and spread by the Scythians, Celts, Turks, and Spaniards. Fast and low-swinging hard pacing gaits are common in several horse breeds of mountainous areas of East and North Asia; high-stepping rack and running walk gaits are often displayed in European and North and South American breeds; the broken pace is found in breeds of Central Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Western North America, and Brazil in South America; and the broken trot occurs in breeds of North Asia, South Asia, the Southern United States, and Brazil in South America, inhabiting desert or marshy areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Vincelette
- Department of Pretheology, St. John's Seminary, 5012 Seminary Road, Camarillo, CA 93021, USA
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Rhodin M, Smit IH, Persson-Sjodin E, Pfau T, Gunnarsson V, Björnsdóttir S, Zetterberg E, Clayton HM, Hobbs SJ, Serra Bragança F, Hernlund E. Timing of Vertical Head, Withers and Pelvis Movements Relative to the Footfalls in Different Equine Gaits and Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12213053. [PMID: 36359178 PMCID: PMC9657284 DOI: 10.3390/ani12213053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Movement symmetry of the head and pelvis are used to measure lameness in horses in trot. Although head, pelvis and limb movements have been described, less is known about the temporal relationships between them. This information is needed to understand how the movements change with lameness. This is particularly relevant in gaited horses, such as the Icelandic horse that perform gaits such as tölt and pace, which are challenging to evaluate. This study used inertial measurement units to investigate head, withers and pelvis motion relative to limb movements in Icelandic, Warmblood and Iberian horses. Limb movements, together with vertical movements and lowest/highest positions of the head, withers and pelvis were calculated, and the relative timing of the events was compared across breeds. Additionally, data for tölt and pace were collected and evaluated in ridden Icelandic horses. For all gaits except walk and pace, the lowest/highest positions of the head/withers/pelvis were closely temporally related to midstance and hoof-off, respectively. Pelvic and withers total range of motion differed between all breeds. The Icelandic horses showed shorter stride duration and smaller movements of the upper body than the other breeds at trot, which may explain why lameness evaluation in this breed is challenging. Abstract Knowledge of vertical motion patterns of the axial body segments is a prerequisite for the development of algorithms used in automated detection of lameness. To date, the focus has been on the trot. This study investigates the temporal synchronization between vertical motion of the axial body segments with limb kinematic events in walk and trot across three popular types of sport horses (19 Warmbloods, 23 Iberians, 26 Icelandics) that are known to have different stride kinematics, and it presents novel data describing vertical motion of the axial body segments in tölting and pacing Icelandic horses. Inertial measurement unit sensors recorded limb kinematics, vertical motion of the axial body at all symmetrical gaits that the horse could perform (walk, trot, tölt, pace). Limb kinematics, vertical range of motion and lowest/highest positions of the head, withers and pelvis were calculated. For all gaits except walk and pace, lowest/highest positions of the pelvis and withers were found to be closely related temporally to midstance and start of suspension of the hind/fore quarter, respectively. There were differences in pelvic/withers range of motion between all breeds where the Icelandic horses showed the smallest motion, which may explain why lameness evaluation in this breed is challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rhodin
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +461-867-2194
| | - Ineke H. Smit
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112-114, NL-3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Persson-Sjodin
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thilo Pfau
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | | | - Sigridur Björnsdóttir
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, 311 Hvanneyri, Iceland
| | - Ebba Zetterberg
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Sarah J. Hobbs
- Research Centre for Applied Sport, Physical Activity and Performance, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Filipe Serra Bragança
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112-114, NL-3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elin Hernlund
- Department of Anatomy Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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5
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Patterson Rosa L, Staiger EA, Martin K, Vierra M, Foster G, Lundquist E, Brooks SA, Lafayette C. Stock-type equine disciplines Hunter, Reining and Roping are associated with the A allele at the DMRT3 locus for gait phenotypes in the horse. Anim Genet 2021; 52:773-774. [PMID: 34250625 DOI: 10.1111/age.13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - E Ann Staiger
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Samantha A Brooks
- Department of Animal Sciences, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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Kierkegaard LS, Groeneveld LF, Kettunen A, Berg P. The status and need for characterization of Nordic animal genetic resources. ACTA AGR SCAND A-AN 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09064702.2020.1722216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne Kettunen
- Farm Animal Section, NordGen – The Nordic Genetic Resource Center, Ås, Norway
- Nofima AS, Ås, Norway
| | - Peer Berg
- Farm Animal Section, NordGen – The Nordic Genetic Resource Center, Ås, Norway
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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7
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Velie BD, Fegraeus KJ, Solé M, Rosengren MK, Røed KH, Ihler CF, Strand E, Lindgren G. A genome-wide association study for harness racing success in the Norwegian-Swedish coldblooded trotter reveals genes for learning and energy metabolism. BMC Genet 2018; 19:80. [PMID: 30157760 PMCID: PMC6114527 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-018-0670-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although harness racing is of high economic importance to the global equine industry, significant genomic resources have yet to be applied to mapping harness racing success. To identify genomic regions associated with harness racing success, the current study performs genome-wide association analyses with three racing performance traits in the Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotter using the 670 K Axiom Equine Genotyping Array. Results Following quality control, 613 horses and 359,635 SNPs were retained for further analysis. After strict Bonferroni correction, nine genome-wide significant SNPs were identified for career earnings. No genome-wide significant SNPs were identified for number of gallops or best km time. However, four suggestive genome-wide significant SNPs were identified for number of gallops, while 19 were identified for best km time. Multiple genes related to intelligence, energy metabolism, and immune function were identified as potential candidate genes for harness racing success. Conclusions Apart from the physiological requirements needed for a harness racing horse to be successful, the results of the current study also advocate learning ability and memory as important elements for harness racing success. Further exploration into the mental capacity required for a horse to achieve racing success is likely warranted. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12863-018-0670-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon D Velie
- Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Kim Jäderkvist Fegraeus
- Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marina Solé
- Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria K Rosengren
- Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Knut H Røed
- Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Carl-Fredrik Ihler
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eric Strand
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
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8
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Jäderkvist Fegraeus K, Hirschberg I, Árnason T, Andersson L, Velie BD, Andersson LS, Lindgren G. To pace or not to pace: a pilot study of four- and five-gaited Icelandic horses homozygous for the DMRT3 'Gait Keeper' mutation. Anim Genet 2017; 48:694-697. [PMID: 29023800 DOI: 10.1111/age.12610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The Icelandic horse is a breed known mainly for its ability to perform the ambling four-beat gait 'tölt' and the lateral two-beat gait pace. The natural ability of the breed to perform these alternative gaits is highly desired by breeders. Therefore, the discovery that a nonsense mutation (C>A) in the DMRT3 gene was the main genetic factor for horses' ability to perform gaits in addition to walk, trot and canter was of great interest. Although several studies have demonstrated that homozygosity for the DMRT3 mutation is important for the ability to pace, only about 70% of the homozygous mutant (AA) Icelandic horses are reported to pace. The aim of the study was to genetically compare four- and five-gaited (i.e. horses with and without the ability to pace) AA Icelandic horses by performing a genome-wide association (GWA) analysis. All horses (n = 55) were genotyped on the 670K Axiom Equine Genotyping Array, and a GWA analysis was performed using the genabel package in r. No SNP demonstrated genome-wide significance, implying that the ability to pace goes beyond the presence of a single gene variant. Despite its limitations, the current study provides additional information regarding the genetic complexity of pacing ability in horses. However, to fully understand the genetic differences between four- and five-gaited AA horses, additional studies with larger sample materials and consistent phenotyping are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Jäderkvist Fegraeus
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - I Hirschberg
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - T Árnason
- IHBC AB, Knubbo, 74494, Morgongåva, Sweden
| | - L Andersson
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 75123, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - B D Velie
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - G Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Staiger EA, Almén MS, Promerová M, Brooks S, Cothran EG, Imsland F, Jäderkvist Fegraeus K, Lindgren G, Mehrabani Yeganeh H, Mikko S, Vega-Pla JL, Tozaki T, Rubin CJ, Andersson L. The evolutionary history of theDMRT3‘Gait keeper’ haplotype. Anim Genet 2017; 48:551-559. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- E. A. Staiger
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology; Uppsala University; SE-75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | - M. S. Almén
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology; Uppsala University; SE-75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | - M. Promerová
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology; Uppsala University; SE-75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | - S. Brooks
- Department of Animal Science; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32611-0910 USA
| | - E. G. Cothran
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Texas A&M University; College Station TX 77843-4458 USA
| | - F. Imsland
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology; Uppsala University; SE-75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | - K. Jäderkvist Fegraeus
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SE-75007 Uppsala Sweden
| | - G. Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SE-75007 Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - S. Mikko
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SE-75007 Uppsala Sweden
| | - J. L. Vega-Pla
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada; Cría Caballar de las Fuerzas Armadas; 14080 Cordoba Spain
| | - T. Tozaki
- Genetic Analysis Department; Laboratory of Racing Chemistry; Tochigi 320-0851 Utsunomiya Japan
| | - C. J. Rubin
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology; Uppsala University; SE-75123 Uppsala Sweden
| | - L. Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology; Uppsala University; SE-75123 Uppsala Sweden
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences; College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Texas A&M University; College Station TX 77843-4458 USA
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SE-75007 Uppsala Sweden
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10
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin F. Stock
- Vereinigte Informationssysteme Tierhaltung w.V. (vit), Heinrich-Schroeder-Weg 1, 27283 Verden, Germany
| | - Lina Jönsson
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 3, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Danish Warmblood Association, Vilhelmsborg Alle 1, 8320 Mårslet, Denmark
| | - Anne Ricard
- INRA, UMR 1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
- IFCE, Recherche et Innovation, 61310 Exmes, France
| | - Thomas Mark
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 3, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
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11
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Jäderkvist Fegraeus K, Johansson L, Mäenpää M, Mykkänen A, Andersson LS, Velie BD, Andersson L, Árnason T, Lindgren G. Different DMRT3 Genotypes Are Best Adapted for Harness Racing and Riding in Finnhorses. J Hered 2015; 106:734-40. [PMID: 26285915 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies showed a positive effect of the DMRT3 "gait keeper" mutation on harness racing performance in Standardbreds, French-, and Nordic trotters. The mutation has also been shown to influence riding traits in multiple breeds. This study investigated the effect of the DMRT3 mutation on harness racing performance and riding traits in Finnhorses. Finnhorses used for harness racing (n = 180) and for riding (n = 59) were genotyped for the DMRT3 mutation. For the trotters the genotypes were evaluated for association with racing performance (number of starts, victories, placings, earnings, and race times). At 3-6 years of age the AA genotype was superior compared with the CA and CC genotypes. The AA horses had a significantly higher proportion of victories (P = 1.4×10(-6)) and placings (P = 4.1×10(-7)), better race times (P = 0.01), and earned more money (P = 0.009) compared with C-horses. For the Finnhorses used for riding the owners answered a questionnaire to score how well the horse performed the gaits walk, trot, and canter on a scale from 1 to 6. These scores were tested for association with the DMRT3 genotypes. Although AA horses were more successful as racehorses, the CC and CA horses appear more adapted for classical riding disciplines. The AA horses received significantly lower gait scores compared with C-horses for the majority of gaits. Except for rhythm in extended canter (P = 0.05), there were no significant differences between CA and CC horses. This study shows that there are different optimal genotypes for different disciplines and the DMRT3 mutation clearly influences gaits and performance in Finnhorses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Jäderkvist Fegraeus
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Lisa Johansson
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Minna Mäenpää
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Anna Mykkänen
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Lisa S Andersson
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Brandon D Velie
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Leif Andersson
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Thorvaldur Árnason
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason)
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- From the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden (Jäderkvist Fegraeus, Johansson, Andersson, Velie, Andersson, and Lindgren); Suomen Hippos ry, Espoo, Finland (Mäenpää); Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland (Mykkänen); Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (Andersson); and IHBC AB, Knubbo, Morgongåva, Sweden (Árnason).
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