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Fröhlich DE, Wallner B, Juras R, Cothran EG, Velie BD. Relatedness and genomic inbreeding in a sample of Timor ponies. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 133:105016. [PMID: 38281607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105016] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Timor ponies (TP) were first shipped to Australia in the early 1800s and were highly valued as transport and pack animals, which resulted in TPs contributing to the development of Australian horse breeds. Today, while the exact number of TPs in Australia is currently unknown, there has been recent interest in establishing a domestic breeding program for Australian TPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relatedness of a sample of TPs, as well as provide estimates of genomic inbreeding levels to better inform the feasibility of using these animals as founders for a domestic breeding program. Hair samples from each horse were genotyped using the Illumina 80K Infinium Equine genotyping array and data were analysed using PLINK v1.90b7, KING 2.3.2 and R v4.3.1. The results illustrate that there are distantly related and minimally inbred horses within the sampled TPs. Lengths of the ROH segments also indicated that recent inbreeding events are likely to only have occurred in a third of the horses. Overall, these results are promising for the success of a domestic TP breeding program; however, considering the low number of domestic TPs known to reside in Australia, there would certainly still be substantial benefits to incorporating additional TPs either directly from Timor or from areas in Australia that are believed to contain wild descendants of TPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris E Fröhlich
- Equine Genetics and Genomics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Barbara Wallner
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rytis Juras
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - E Gus Cothran
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Brandon D Velie
- Equine Genetics and Genomics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Dell A, Curry M, Yarnell K, Starbuck G, Wilson PB. Genetic analysis of the endangered Cleveland Bay horse: A century of breeding characterised by pedigree and microsatellite data. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240410. [PMID: 33119607 PMCID: PMC7595272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cleveland Bay horse is one of the oldest equines in the United Kingdom, with pedigree data going back almost 300 years. The studbook is essentially closed and because of this, there are concerns about loss of genetic variation across generations. The breed is one of five equine breeds listed as “critical” (<300 registered adult breeding females) by the UK Rare Breeds Survival Trust in their annual Watchlist. Due to their critically endangered status, the current breadth of their genetic diversity is of concern, and assessment of this can lead to improved breed management strategies. Herein, both genealogical and molecular methods are combined in order to assess founder representation, lineage, and allelic diversity. Data from 15 microsatellite loci from a reference population of 402 individuals determined a loss of 91% and 48% of stallion and dam lines, respectively. Only 3 ancestors determine 50% of the genome in the living population, with 70% of maternal lineage being derived from 3 founder females, and all paternal lineages traced back to a single founder stallion. Methods and theory are described in detail in order to demonstrate the scope of this analysis for wider conservation strategies. We quantitatively demonstrate the critical nature of the genetic resources within the breed and offer a perspective on implementing this data in considered breed management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Dell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Way, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, United Kingdom
- Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AD); (PBW)
| | - Mark Curry
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Way, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Kelly Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth Starbuck
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
| | - Philippe B. Wilson
- Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, United Kingdom
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (AD); (PBW)
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Pinzon-Arteaga C, Snyder MD, Lazzarotto CR, Moreno NF, Juras R, Raudsepp T, Golding MC, Varner DD, Long CR. Efficient correction of a deleterious point mutation in primary horse fibroblasts with CRISPR-Cas9. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7411. [PMID: 32366884 PMCID: PMC7198616 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62723-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic selection during animal domestication has resulted in unwanted incorporation of deleterious mutations. In horses, the autosomal recessive condition known as Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency (GBED) is the result of one of these deleterious mutations (102C > A), in the first exon of the GBE1 gene (GBE1102C>A). With recent advances in genome editing, this type of genetic mutation can be precisely repaired. In this study, we used the RNA-guided nuclease CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9) to correct the GBE1102C>A mutation in a primary fibroblast cell line derived from a high genetic merit heterozygous stallion. To correct this mutation by homologous recombination (HR), we designed a series of single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) flanking the mutation and provided different single-stranded donor DNA templates. The distance between the Cas9-mediated double-stranded break (DSB) to the mutation site, rather than DSB efficiency, was the primary determinant for successful HR. This framework can be used for targeting other harmful diseases in animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Pinzon-Arteaga
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Matthew D Snyder
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | - Nicolas F Moreno
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Rytis Juras
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Terje Raudsepp
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Michael C Golding
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Dickson D Varner
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Charles R Long
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
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Funk SM, Guedaoura S, Juras R, Raziq A, Landolsi F, Luís C, Martínez AM, Musa Mayaki A, Mujica F, Oom MDM, Ouragh L, Stranger Y, Vega‐Pla JL, Cothran EG. Major inconsistencies of inferred population genetic structure estimated in a large set of domestic horse breeds using microsatellites. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4261-4279. [PMID: 32489595 PMCID: PMC7246218 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
STRUCTURE remains the most applied software aimed at recovering the true, but unknown, population structure from microsatellite or other genetic markers. About 30% of structure-based studies could not be reproduced (Molecular Ecology, 21, 2012, 4925). Here we use a large set of data from 2,323 horses from 93 domestic breeds plus the Przewalski horse, typed at 15 microsatellites, to evaluate how program settings impact the estimation of the optimal number of population clusters K opt that best describe the observed data. Domestic horses are suited as a test case as there is extensive background knowledge on the history of many breeds and extensive phylogenetic analyses. Different methods based on different genetic assumptions and statistical procedures (dapc, flock, PCoA, and structure with different run scenarios) all revealed general, broad-scale breed relationships that largely reflect known breed histories but diverged how they characterized small-scale patterns. structure failed to consistently identify K opt using the most widespread approach, the ΔK method, despite very large numbers of MCMC iterations (3,000,000) and replicates (100). The interpretation of breed structure over increasing numbers of K, without assuming a K opt, was consistent with known breed histories. The over-reliance on K opt should be replaced by a qualitative description of clustering over increasing K, which is scientifically more honest and has the advantage of being much faster and less computer intensive as lower numbers of MCMC iterations and repetitions suffice for stable results. Very large data sets are highly challenging for cluster analyses, especially when populations with complex genetic histories are investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Michael Funk
- Centro de Excelencia de Modelación y Computación CientíficaUniversidad de La FronteraTemucoChile
- Nature HeritageSt. LawrenceUK
| | - Sonya Guedaoura
- Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la VieUniversité d'El‐TarfEl‐TarfAlgeria
- Faculté de PharmacieUniversité LavalQuébec CityQCCanada
| | - Rytis Juras
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical ScienceTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
| | - Absul Raziq
- Society of Veterinary, Environment and Agriculture Scientists (SAVES)QuettaPakistan
| | | | - Cristina Luís
- Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia (CIUHCT)Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | | | - Fernando Mujica
- Instituto de Producción AnimalUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Maria do Mar Oom
- CE3C – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental ChangesFaculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | | | - Jose Luis Vega‐Pla
- Laboratorio de Investigación AplicadaCrıa Caballar de las Fuerzas ArmadasCordobaSpain
| | - Ernest Gus Cothran
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical ScienceTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
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May-Davis S, Vermeulen Z, Hunter R, Brown W. Rare Finding of a Full Nuchal Ligament Lamellae With Attachment Points From C2–C7 in One Australian Stock Horse. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 84:102847. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2019.102847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Population Genetic Analysis of the Estonian Native Horse Suggests Diverse and Distinct Genetics, Ancient Origin and Contribution from Unique Patrilines. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10080629. [PMID: 31434327 PMCID: PMC6722507 DOI: 10.3390/genes10080629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Estonian Native Horse (ENH) is a medium-size pony found mainly in the western islands of Estonia and is well-adapted to the harsh northern climate and poor pastures. The ancestry of the ENH is debated, including alleged claims about direct descendance from the extinct Tarpan. Here we conducted a detailed analysis of the genetic makeup and relationships of the ENH based on the genotypes of 15 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs), 18 Y chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), mitochondrial D-loop sequence and lateral gait allele in DMRT3. The study encompassed 2890 horses of 61 breeds, including 33 ENHs. We show that the expected and observed genetic diversities of the ENH are among the highest within 52 global breeds, and the highest among 8 related Northern European ponies. The genetically closest breeds to the ENH are the Finn Horse, and the geographically more distant primitive Hucul and Konik. ENH matrilines are diverse and relate to draught and Pontic-Caspian breeds. ENH patrilines relate to draught breeds, and to a unique haplogroup not described before. None of the 33 ENHs carried the "gait" mutation, but the mutation was found in 2 Huculs. The study demonstrates that the ENH is a genetically distinct and diverse breed of ancient origin with no notable pressure of selective breeding.
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Khanshour A, Juras R, Blackburn R, Cothran EG. The legend of the Canadian horse: genetic diversity and breed origin. J Hered 2015; 106:37-44. [PMID: 25416795 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esu074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Canadian breed of horse invokes a fascinating chapter of North American history and as such it is now a heritage breed and the national horse of Canada. The aims of this study were to determine the level of genetic diversity in the Canadian, investigate the possible foundation breeds and the role it had in the development of the US horse breeds, such as Morgan Horse. We tested a total of 981 horses by using 15 microsatellite markers. We found that Canadian horses have high values of genetic diversity indices and show no evidence of a serious loss of genetic diversity and the inbreeding coefficient was not significantly different from zero. Belgian, Percheron, Breton and Dales Pony, unlike the light French horses, may have common ancestries with the Canadian and could be important founders. However, the Shire and Clydesdale influenced the Canadian to a lesser extent than French and Belgian draft breeds. Furthermore, our finding indicated that there was no evidence of a clear relationship between Canadian and Oriental or Iberian breeds. Also, the Canadian likely contributed to the early development of the Morgan. Finally, these findings support the ancient legends of the Canadian Horse as North America’s first equine breed and the foundation bloodstock to many American breeds and may help in the management and breeding program of this outstanding breed in North America.
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