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Zhao L, Yuan L, Li F, Zhang X, Tian H, Ma Z, Zhang D, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Huang K, Li X, Cheng J, Xu D, Yang X, Han K, Weng X, Wang W. Whole-genome resequencing of Hu sheep identifies candidate genes associated with agronomic traits. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:866-876. [PMID: 38582298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.03.015] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
The phenotypic diversity resulting from artificial or natural selection of sheep has made a significant contribution to human civilization. Hu sheep are a local sheep breed unique to China with high reproductive rates and rapid growth. Genomic selection signatures have been widely used to investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation in livestock. Here, we conduct whole-genome sequencing of 207 Hu sheep and compare them with the wild ancestors of domestic sheep (Asiatic mouflon) to investigate the genetic characteristics and selection signatures of Hu sheep. Based on six signatures of selection approaches, we detect genomic regions containing genes related to reproduction (BMPR1B, BMP2, PGFS, CYP19, CAMK4, GGT5, and GNAQ), vision (ALDH1A2, SAG, and PDE6B), nervous system (NAV1), and immune response (GPR35, SH2B2, PIK3R3, and HRAS). Association analysis with a population of 1299 Hu sheep reveals that those missense mutations in the GPR35 (GPR35 g.952651 A>G; GPR35 g.952496 C>T) and NAV1 (NAV1 g.84216190 C>T; NAV1 g.84227412 G>A) genes are significantly associated (P < 0.05) with immune and growth traits in Hu sheep, respectively. This research offers unique insights into the selection characteristics of Hu sheep and facilitates further genetic improvement and molecular investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Lvfeng Yuan
- Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046, China
| | - Fadi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Xiaoxue Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China
| | - Huibin Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Zongwu Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China
| | - Deyin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Yukun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Yuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Kai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Xiaolong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Jiangbo Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Dan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Xiaobin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Kunchao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Xiuxiu Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
| | - Weimin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China.
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Han ZP, Yang RZ, Zhou W, Zhang LL, Wang JR, Liu CJ, Liu SD. Population structure and selection signal analysis of indigenous sheep from the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:681. [PMID: 38982349 PMCID: PMC11232224 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10581-y] [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: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Analyzing the genetic diversity and selection characteristics of sheep (Ovis aries) holds significant value in understanding their environmental adaptability, enhancing breeding efficiency, and achieving effective conservation and rational utilization of genetic resources. In this study, we utilized Illumina Ovine SNP 50 K BeadChip data from four indigenous sheep breeds from the southern margin of the Taklamakan Desert (Duolang sheep: n = 36, Hetian sheep: n = 74, Kunlun sheep: n = 27, Qira black sheep: n = 178) and three foreign meat sheep breeds (Poll Dorset sheep: n = 105, Suffolk sheep: n = 153, Texel sheep: n = 150) to investigate the population structure, genetic diversity, and genomic signals of positive selection within the indigenous sheep. According to the Principal component analysis (PCA), the Neighbor-Joining tree (NJ tree), and Admixture, we revealed distinct clustering patterns of these seven sheep breeds based on their geographical distribution. Then used Cross Population Extended Haplotype Homozygosity (XP-EHH), Fixation Index (FST), and Integrated Haplotype Score (iHS), we identified a collective set of 32 overlapping genes under positive selection across four indigenous sheep breeds. These genes are associated with wool follicle development and wool traits, desert environmental adaptability, disease resistance, reproduction, and high-altitude adaptability. This study reveals the population structure and genomic selection characteristics in the extreme desert environments of native sheep breeds from the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, providing new insights into the conservation and sustainable use of indigenous sheep genetic resources in extreme environments. Additionally, these findings offer valuable genetic resources for sheep and other mammals to adapt to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Peng Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Rui-Zhi Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Lu-Lu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Jie-Ru Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Chun-Jie Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Shu-Dong Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Alar, 843300, China.
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Qiao G, Xu P, Guo T, He X, Yue Y, Yang B. Genome-wide detection of structural variation in some sheep breeds using whole-genome long-read sequencing data. J Anim Breed Genet 2024; 141:403-414. [PMID: 38247268 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12846] [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: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Genomic structural variants (SVs) constitute a significant proportion of genetic variation in the genome. The rapid development of long-reads sequencing has facilitated the detection of long-fragment SVs. There is no published study to detect SVs using long-read data from sheep. We applied a long-read mapping approach to detect SVs and characterized a total of 30,771 insertions, deletions, inversions and translocations. We identified 716, 916, 842 and 303 specific SVs in Southdown sheep, Alpine merino sheep, Qilian White Tibetan sheep and Oula sheep, respectively. We annotated these SVs and found that these SV-related genes were primarily enriched in the well-established pathways involved in the regulation of the immune system, growth and development and environmental adaptability. We detected and annotated SVs based on NGS resequencing data to validate the accuracy based on third-generation detection. Moreover, five candidate SVs were verified using the PCR method in 50 sheep. Our study is the first to use a long-reads sequencing approach to construct a novel structural variation map in sheep. We have completed a preliminary exploration of the potential effects of SVs on sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyan Qiao
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
- College of Ecological Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai Communications Technical College, Xining, China
| | - Pan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xue He
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yaojing Yue
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Bohui Yang
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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4
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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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5
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Larsson MNA, Morell Miranda P, Pan L, Başak Vural K, Kaptan D, Rodrigues Soares AE, Kivikero H, Kantanen J, Somel M, Özer F, Johansson AM, Storå J, Günther T. Ancient Sheep Genomes Reveal Four Millennia of North European Short-Tailed Sheep in the Baltic Sea Region. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae114. [PMID: 38795367 PMCID: PMC11162877 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae114] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Sheep are among the earliest domesticated livestock species, with a wide variety of breeds present today. However, it remains unclear how far back this diversity goes, with formal documentation only dating back a few centuries. North European short-tailed (NEST) breeds are often assumed to be among the oldest domestic sheep populations, even thought to represent relicts of the earliest sheep expansions during the Neolithic period reaching Scandinavia <6,000 years ago. This study sequenced the genomes (up to 11.6X) of five sheep remains from the Baltic islands of Gotland and Åland, dating from the Late Neolithic (∼4,100 cal BP) to historical times (∼1,600 CE). Our findings indicate that these ancient sheep largely possessed the genetic characteristics of modern NEST breeds, suggesting a substantial degree of long-term continuity of this sheep type in the Baltic Sea region. Despite the wide temporal spread, population genetic analyses show high levels of affinity between the ancient genomes and they also exhibit relatively high genetic diversity when compared to modern NEST breeds, implying a loss of diversity in most breeds during the last centuries associated with breed formation and recent bottlenecks. Our results shed light on the development of breeds in Northern Europe specifically as well as the development of genetic diversity in sheep breeds, and their expansion from the domestication center in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin N A Larsson
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pedro Morell Miranda
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Li Pan
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kıvılcım Başak Vural
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Damla Kaptan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Hanna Kivikero
- Department of Culture, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Kantanen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Mehmet Somel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Füsun Özer
- Department of Anthropology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Anna M Johansson
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Storå
- Osteoarchaeological Research Laboratory, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Torsten Günther
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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Pan Y, Li S, Zhang Q, Li J, Song C, Kong L, Liu Y, Hou S, Li S, Liu Q, Xia D, Wang Z. Production performance analysis of sheep MSTN gene C2361T locus. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2024; 22:100372. [PMID: 38797546 PMCID: PMC11156697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2024.100372] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The myostatin (MSTN) gene exhibits significant nucleotide sequence variations in sheep, impacting growth characteristics and muscular traits of the body. However, its influence on specific growth traits in some sheep remains to be further elucidated. This study utilized single nucleotide polymorphism sequence analysis to investigate the role of the MSTN gene in meat production performance across four sheep breeds: Charolais sheep, Australian White sheep, crossbreeds of Australian White and Small-tailed Han, and crossbreeds of Charolais and Small-tailed Han. At a SNP locus of the MSTN gene, the C2361T site was identified, with three genotypes detected: CC, CT, and TT, among which CC predominated. Gene substitution effect analysis revealed that replacing C with T could elevate the phenotypic value. Comparative analysis of data from different genotypes within the same breed highlighted the superiority of CC and TT genotypes in phenotypic values, underscoring the significance of specific genotypes in influencing key traits. Contrasting the performance of different genotypes across breeds, Charolais sheep and Charolais Han hybrids demonstrated superiority across multiple indicators, offering valuable insights for breeding new sheep varieties. Analysis of gender effects on growth characteristics indicated that ewes exhibited significantly wider chest, waist, and hip widths compared to rams, while rams displayed better skeletal growth and muscle development. Additionally, the MSTN gene also exerted certain effects on lamb growth characteristics, with the CC genotype closely associated with weight. These findings not only contribute crucial insights for sheep breeding but also pave the way for future research exploring the interaction of this gene with others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Pan
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Siyi Li
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Qiu Zhang
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Chenyu Song
- College of Biological Science and Technology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Lingchao Kong
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Yining Liu
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Sibing Hou
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Shuaitong Li
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Qingkun Liu
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Decui Xia
- Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Fuxin 123006, China
| | - Zeying Wang
- College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.
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7
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Gudra D, Valdovska A, Kairisa D, Galina D, Jonkus D, Ustinova M, Viksne K, Kalnina I, Fridmanis D. Genomic diversity of the locally developed Latvian Darkheaded sheep breed. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31455. [PMID: 38807890 PMCID: PMC11130721 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31455] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The Latvian Darkheaded is the only locally developed sheep breed. The breed was formed at the beginning of the 20th century by crossing local coarse-wooled sheep with the British Shropshire and Oxfordshire breeds. The breed was later improved by adding Ile-de-France, Texel, German blackheads, and Finnsheep to achieve higher prolificacy and better meat quality. Previous studies have reported the Latvian Darkheaded sheep to be closely related to Estonian and Lithuanian Blackface breeds, according to microsatellite data. To expand our knowledge of the genetic resources of the Latvian Darkheaded breed, we conducted a whole-genome resequencing analysis on 40 native sheep. The investigation showed that local sheep harbor genetic diversity levels similar to those observed among other improved breeds of European origin, including Charollais and Suffolk. Genome-wide nucleotide diversity (π) in Latvian Darkheaded sheep was 3.91 × 10-3, whereas the average observed heterozygosity among the 40 animals was 0.267 and 0.438 within the subsample of unrelated individuals. The Ne has rapidly decreased to 200 ten generations ago with a recent drop to Ne 73 four generations ago. However, inbreeding levels based on runs of homozygosity were, on average, low, with FROH ranging between 0.016 and 0.059. The analysis of the genomic composition of the breed confirmed shared ancestry with sheep of British origin, reflecting the history of the breed. Nevertheless, Latvian Darkheaded sheep were genetically separable. The contemporary Latvian Darkheaded sheep population is genetically diverse with a low inbreeding rate. However, further development of breed management programs is necessary to prevent an increase in inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity, and depletion of breed-specific genetic resources, ensuring the preservation of the native Latvian Darkheaded sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dita Gudra
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, LV, 1067, Latvia
| | - Anda Valdovska
- Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, LV, 3001, Latvia
| | - Daina Kairisa
- Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, LV, 3001, Latvia
| | - Daiga Galina
- Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, LV, 3001, Latvia
| | - Daina Jonkus
- Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, LV, 3001, Latvia
| | - Maija Ustinova
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, LV, 1067, Latvia
| | - Kristine Viksne
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, LV, 1067, Latvia
| | - Ineta Kalnina
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, LV, 1067, Latvia
| | - Davids Fridmanis
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Riga, LV, 1067, Latvia
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8
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Zhong T, Hou D, Zhao Q, Zhan S, Wang L, Li L, Zhang H, Zhao W, Yang S, Niu L. Comparative whole-genome resequencing to uncover selection signatures linked to litter size in Hu Sheep and five other breeds. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:480. [PMID: 38750582 PMCID: PMC11094944 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10396-x] [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: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Hu sheep (HS), a breed of sheep carrying the FecB mutation gene, is known for its "year-round estrus and multiple births" and is an ideal model for studying the high fecundity mechanisms of livestock. Through analyzing and comparing the genomic selection features of Hu sheep and other sheep breeds, we identified a series of candidate genes that may play a role in Hu sheep's high fecundity mechanisms. In this study, we conducted whole-genome resequencing on six breeds and screened key mutations significantly correlated with high reproductive traits in sheep. Notably, the CC2D1B gene was selected by the fixation index (FST) and the cross-population composite likelihood ratio (XP-CLR) methods in HS and other five breeds. It was worth noting that the CC2D1B gene in HS was different from that in other sheep breeds, and seven missense mutations have been identified. Furthermore, the linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed a strong linkage disequilibrium in this specific gene region. Subsequently, by performing different grouping based on FecB genotypes in Hu sheep, genome-wide selective signal analysis screened several genes related to reproduction, such as BMPR1B and PPM1K. Besides, FST analysis identified functional genes related to reproductive traits, including RHEB, HSPA2, PPP1CC, HVCN1, and CCDC63. Additionally, a missense mutation was found in the CCDC63 gene and the haplotype was different between the high reproduction (HR) group and low reproduction (LR) group in HS. In summary, we discovered genetic differentiation among six distinct breeding sheep breeds at the whole genome level. Additionally, we identified a set of genes which were associated with reproductive performance in Hu sheep and visualized how these genes differed in different breeds. These findings laid a theoretical foundation for understanding genetic mechanisms behind high prolific traits in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhong
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
| | - Dunying Hou
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Qianjun Zhao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Siyuan Zhan
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Linjie Wang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Li Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Hongping Zhang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Wei Zhao
- College of Animal Science, Xichang University, Xichang, 615013, China
| | - Shizhong Yang
- Academy of Agricultural Sciences Liangshan, Xichang, 615000, China
| | - Lili Niu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
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9
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Yan Z, Yang J, Wei WT, Zhou ML, Mo DX, Wan X, Ma R, Wu MM, Huang JH, Liu YJ, Lv FH, Li MH. A time-resolved multi-omics atlas of transcriptional regulation in response to high-altitude hypoxia across whole-body tissues. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3970. [PMID: 38730227 PMCID: PMC11087590 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48261-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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
High-altitude hypoxia acclimatization requires whole-body physiological regulation in highland immigrants, but the underlying genetic mechanism has not been clarified. Here we use sheep as an animal model for low-to-high altitude translocation. We generate multi-omics data including whole-genome sequences, time-resolved bulk RNA-Seq, ATAC-Seq and single-cell RNA-Seq from multiple tissues as well as phenotypic data from 20 bio-indicators. We characterize transcriptional changes of all genes in each tissue, and examine multi-tissue temporal dynamics and transcriptional interactions among genes. Particularly, we identify critical functional genes regulating the short response to hypoxia in each tissue (e.g., PARG in the cerebellum and HMOX1 in the colon). We further identify TAD-constrained cis-regulatory elements, which suppress the transcriptional activity of most genes under hypoxia. Phenotypic and transcriptional evidence indicate that antenatal hypoxia could improve hypoxia tolerance in offspring. Furthermore, we provide time-series expression data of candidate genes associated with human mountain sickness (e.g., BMPR2) and high-altitude adaptation (e.g., HIF1A). Our study provides valuable resources and insights for future hypoxia-related studies in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Yan
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Wen-Tian Wei
- 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
| | - Ming-Liang Zhou
- Sichuan Academy of Grassland Science, Chengdu, 611743, China
| | - Dong-Xin Mo
- 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 Wan
- 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
| | - Rui Ma
- 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
| | - Mei-Ming Wu
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Ya-Jing Liu
- 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
| | - Feng-Hua Lv
- 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
| | - 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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10
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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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11
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Asadollahpour Nanaei H, Amiri Ghanatsaman Z, Farahvashi MA, Mousavi SF, Banabazi MH, Asadi Fozi M. High-throughput DNA sequence analysis elucidates novel insight into the genetic basis of adaptation in local sheep. Trop Anim Health Prod 2024; 56:150. [PMID: 38691202 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-024-04002-1] [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: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how evolutionary factors related to climate adaptation and human selection have influenced the genetic architecture of domesticated animals is of great interest in biology. In the current study, by using 304 whole genomes from different geographical regions (including Europe, north Africa, Southwest Asia, east Asia, west Africa, south Asia, east Africa, Australia and Turkey), We evaluate global sheep population dynamics in terms of genetic variation and population structure. We further conducted comparative population analysis to study the genetic underpinnings of climate adaption to local environments and also morphological traits. In order to identify genomic signals under selection, we applied fixation index (FST) and also nucleotide diversity (θπ) statistical measurements. Our results revealed several candidate genes on different chromosomes under selection for local climate adaptation (e.g. HOXC12, HOXC13, IRF1, FGD2 and GNAQ), body size (PDGFA, HMGA2, PDE3A) and also morphological related traits (RXFP2). The discovered candidate genes may offer newel insights into genetic underpinning of regional adaptation and commercially significant features in local sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hojjat Asadollahpour Nanaei
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, 76169-133, PB, Iran.
- Animal Science Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Zeinab Amiri Ghanatsaman
- Animal Science Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Farahvashi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, 76169-133, PB, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Fatemeh Mousavi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Banabazi
- Department of Biotechnology, Animal Science Research Institute of IRAN (ASRI) Agricultural Research, Education & Extension Organization (AREEO), 3146618361, Karaj, Iran
- Department of Animal Biosciences (HBIO), Centre for Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (VHC), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Masood Asadi Fozi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, 76169-133, PB, Iran.
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12
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Ning Y, Liu D, Gu J, Zhang Y, Roberts NJ, Guskov VY, Sun J, Liu D, Gong M, Qi J, He Z, Shi C, Jiang G. The genetic status and rescue measure for a geographically isolated population of Amur tigers. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8088. [PMID: 38582794 PMCID: PMC10998829 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58746-9] [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: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The Amur tiger is currently confronted with challenges of anthropogenic development, leading to its population becoming fragmented into two geographically isolated groups: smaller and larger ones. Small and isolated populations frequently face a greater extinction risk, yet the small tiger population's genetic status and survival potential have not been assessed. Here, a total of 210 samples of suspected Amur tiger feces were collected from this small population, and the genetic background and population survival potentials were assessed by using 14 microsatellite loci. Our results demonstrated that the mean number of alleles in all loci was 3.7 and expected heterozygosity was 0.6, indicating a comparatively lower level of population genetic diversity compared to previously reported studies on other subspecies. The genetic estimates of effective population size (Ne) and the Ne/N ratio were merely 7.6 and 0.152, respectively, representing lower values in comparison to the Amur tiger population in Sikhote-Alin (the larger group). However, multiple methods have indicated the possibility of genetic divergence within our isolated population under study. Meanwhile, the maximum kinship recorded was 0.441, and the mean inbreeding coefficient stood at 0.0868, both of which are higher than those observed in other endangered species, such as the African lion and the grey wolf. Additionally, we have identified a significant risk of future extinction if the lethal equivalents were to reach 6.26, which is higher than that of other large carnivores. Further, our simulation results indicated that an increase in the number of breeding females would enhance the prospects of this population. In summary, our findings provide a critical theoretical basis for further bailout strategies concerning Amur tigers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Ning
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Dongqi Liu
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiayin Gu
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yifei Zhang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, China
| | - Nathan James Roberts
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Valentin Yu Guskov
- Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (FSCEATB FEB RAS), Vladivostok, Russian Federation
| | - Jiale Sun
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Siberian Tiger Park, Harbin, 150028, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ming Gong
- Siberian Tiger Park, Harbin, 150028, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jinzhe Qi
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhijian He
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chunmei Shi
- College of Mathematics and Computer Science, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guangshun Jiang
- Feline Research Center of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
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13
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Zhao X, Wen J, Zhang X, Zhang J, Zhu T, Wang H, Yang W, Cao G, Xiong W, Liu Y, Qu C, Ning Z, Qu L. Significant genomic introgression from grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii) to domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus). J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2024; 15:45. [PMID: 38556896 PMCID: PMC10983685 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-024-01006-7] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chicken is one of the most numerous and widely distributed species around the world, and many studies support the multiple ancestral origins of domestic chickens. The research regarding the yellow skin phenotype in domestic chickens (regulated by BCO2) likely originating from the grey junglefowl serves as crucial evidence for demonstrating the multiple origins of chickens. However, beyond the BCO2 gene region, much remains unknown about the introgression from the grey junglefowl into domestic chickens. Therefore, in this study, based on whole-genome data of 149 samples including 4 species of wild junglefowls and 13 local domestic chicken breeds, we explored the introgression events from the grey junglefowl to domestic chickens. RESULTS We successfully detected introgression regions besides BCO2, including two associated with growth trait (IGFBP2 and TKT), one associated with angiogenesis (TIMP3) and two members of the heat shock protein family (HSPB2 and CRYAB). Our findings suggest that the introgression from the grey junglefowl may impact the growth performance of chickens. Furthermore, we revealed introgression events from grey junglefowl at the BCO2 region in multiple domestic chicken breeds, indicating a phenomenon where the yellow skin phenotype likely underwent strong selection and was retained. Additionally, our haplotype analysis shed light on BCO2 introgression event from different sources of grey junglefowl into domestic chickens, possibly suggesting multiple genetic flows between the grey junglefowl and domestic chickens. CONCLUSIONS In summary, our findings provide evidences of the grey junglefowl contributing to the genetic diversity of domestic chickens, laying the foundation for a deeper understanding of the genetic composition within domestic chickens, and offering new perspectives on the impact of introgression on domestic chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiurong Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junhui Wen
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xinye Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jinxin Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Huie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Weifang Yang
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing, 100107, China
| | - Guomin Cao
- Animal husbandry station of Fangchenggang, Fangchenggang, Guangxi Province, 538001, China
| | - Wenjie Xiong
- Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center of Fangchenggang, Fangchenggang, Guangxi Province, 538001, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Beijing Agricultural Effect Poultry Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing, 101100, China
| | - Changqing Qu
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Anti-aging Chinese Herbal Medicine of Anhui Province, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang, Anhui, 236037, China
| | - Zhonghua Ning
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lujiang Qu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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14
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Liang B, Bai T, Zhao Y, Han J, He X, Pu Y, Wang C, Liu W, Ma Q, Tian K, Zheng W, Liu N, Liu J, Ma Y, Jiang L. Two mutations at KRT74 and EDAR synergistically drive the fine-wool production in Chinese sheep. J Adv Res 2024; 57:1-13. [PMID: 37137429 PMCID: PMC10918353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.04.012] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fine-wool sheep are the most common breed used by the wool industry worldwide. Fine-wool sheep have over a three-fold higher follicle density and a 50% smaller fiber diameter than coarse-wool sheep. OBJECTIVES This study aims to clarify the underlying genetic basis for the denser and finer wool phenotype in fine-wool breeds. METHOD Whole-genome sequences of 140 samples, Ovine HD630K SNP array data of 385 samples, including fine, semi-fine, and coarse wool sheep, as well as skin transcriptomes of nine samples were integrated for genomic selection signature analysis. RESULTS Two loci at keratin 74 (KRT74) and ectodysplasin receptor (EDAR) were revealed. Fine-scale analysis in 250 fine/semi-fine and 198 coarse wool sheep narrowed this association to one C/A missense variant of KRT74 (OAR3:133,486,008, P = 1.02E-67) and one T/C SNP in the regulatory region upstream of EDAR (OAR3:61,927,840, P = 2.50E-43). Cellular over-expression and ovine skin section staining assays confirmed that C-KRT74 activated the KRT74 protein and specifically enlarged cell size at the Huxley's layer of the inner root sheath (P < 0.01). This structure enhancement shapes the growing hair shaft into the finer wool than the wild type. Luciferase assays validated that the C-to-T mutation upregulated EDAR mRNA expression via a newly created SOX2 binding site and potentially led to the formation of more hair placodes. CONCLUSIONS Two functional mutations driving finer and denser wool production were characterized and offered new targets for genetic breeding during wool sheep selection. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for future selection of fine wool sheep breeds but also contributes to improving the value of wool commodities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benmeng Liang
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China
| | - Tianyou Bai
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China
| | - Yuhetian Zhao
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China
| | - Jiangang Han
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China; Animal Genomics Laboratory, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Xiaohong He
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China
| | - Yabin Pu
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China
| | - Chunxin Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gongzhuling 136100, China
| | - Wujun Liu
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agriculture University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Institute of Animal Science, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 75002, Ningxia, China
| | - Kechuan Tian
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China; Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, China
| | | | - Nan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, China
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Yuehui Ma
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China.
| | - Lin Jiang
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Ministry of Technology, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Resources (Cattle) Evaluation and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China.
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15
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Sun X, Guo J, Li R, Zhang H, Zhang Y, Liu GE, Emu Q, Zhang H. Whole-Genome Resequencing Reveals Genetic Diversity and Wool Trait-Related Genes in Liangshan Semi-Fine-Wool Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:444. [PMID: 38338087 PMCID: PMC10854784 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030444] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic makeup of local sheep breeds is essential for their scientific conservation and sustainable utilization. The Liangshan semi-fine-wool sheep (LSS), a Chinese semi-fine-wool breed renowned for its soft wool, was analyzed using whole-genome sequencing data including 35 LSS, 84 sheep from other domestic breeds, and 20 Asiatic mouflons. We investigated the genetic composition of LSS by conducting analyses of the population structure, runs of homozygosity, genomic inbreeding coefficients, and selection signature. Our findings indicated that LSS shares greater genetic similarity with Border Leicester and Romney sheep than with Tibetan (TIB), Yunnan (YNS), and Chinese Merino sheep. Genomic analysis indicated low to moderate inbreeding coefficients, ranging from 0.014 to 0.154. In identifying selection signals across the LSS genome, we pinpointed 195 candidate regions housing 74 annotated genes (e.g., IRF2BP2, BVES, and ALOX5). We also found the overlaps between the candidate regions and several known quantitative trait loci related to wool traits, such as the wool staple length and wool fiber diameter. A selective sweep region, marked by the highest value of cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity, encompassed IRF2BP2-an influential candidate gene affecting fleece fiber traits. Furthermore, notable differences in genotype frequency at a mutation site (c.1051 + 46T > C, Chr25: 6,784,190 bp) within IRF2BP2 were observed between LSS and TIB and YNS sheep (Fisher's exact test, p < 2.2 × 10-16). Taken together, these findings offer insights crucial for the conservation and breeding enhancement of LSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueliang Sun
- 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; (X.S.); (J.G.)
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, 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; (X.S.); (J.G.)
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, 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 712100, China
| | - Huanhuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yifei 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; (X.S.); (J.G.)
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - George E. Liu
- Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Quzhe Emu
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Animal Science Academy, No. 7, Niusha Road, Chengdu 610066, 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; (X.S.); (J.G.)
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
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16
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Yi W, Hu M, Shi L, Li T, Bai C, Sun F, Ma H, Zhao Z, Yan S. Whole genome sequencing identified genomic diversity and candidated genes associated with economic traits in Northeasern Merino in China. Front Genet 2024; 15:1302222. [PMID: 38333624 PMCID: PMC10851152 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1302222] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Northeast Merino (NMS) is a breed developed in Northeast China during the 1960s for wool and meat production. It exhibits excellent traits such as high wool yield, superior meat quality, rapid growth rate, robust disease resistance, and adaptability to cold climates. However, no studies have used whole-genome sequencing data to investigate the superior traits of NMS. Methods: In this study, we investigated the population structure, genetic diversity, and selection signals of NMS using whole-genome sequencing data from 20 individuals. Two methods (integrated haplotype score and composite likelihood ratio) were used for selection signal analysis, and the Fixation Index was used to explore the selection signals of NMS and the other two breeds, Mongolian sheep and South African meat Merino. Results: The results showed that NMS had low inbreeding levels, high genomic diversity, and a pedigree of both Merino breeds and Chinese local breeds. A total length of 14.09 Mb genomic region containing 287 genes was detected using the two methods. Further exploration of the functions of these genes revealed that they are mainly concentrated in wool production performance (IRF2BP2, MAP3K7, and WNT3), meat production performance (NDUFA9, SETBP1, ZBTB38, and FTO), cold resistance (DNAJC13, LPGAT1, and PRDM16), and immune response (PRDM2, GALNT8, and HCAR2). The selection signals of NMS and the other two breeds annotated 87 and 23 genes, respectively. These genes were also mainly focused on wool and meat production performance. Conclusion: These results provide a basis for further breeding improvement, comprehensive use of this breed, and a reference for research on other breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Yi
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingyue Hu
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lulu Shi
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ting Li
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Chunyan Bai
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Fuliang Sun
- College of Agriculture, Yanbian University, Yanji, China
| | - Huihai Ma
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gongzhuling, China
| | - Zhongli Zhao
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gongzhuling, China
| | - Shouqing Yan
- College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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17
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Ren Y, Wang F, Sun R, Zheng X, Liu Y, Lin Y, Hong L, Huang X, Chao Z. The Genetic Selection of HSPD1 and HSPE1 Reduce Inflammation of Liver and Spleen While Restraining the Growth and Development of Skeletal Muscle in Wuzhishan Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:174. [PMID: 38200905 PMCID: PMC10777996 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010174] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Wuzhishan (WZS) pigs, which are minipigs native to Hainan Province in China, are characterized by strong resistance to extreme hot temperatures and humidity. The relationship between their immune response and growth still needs to be clarified. In this study, we used whole genome sequencing (WGS) to detect variations within 37 WZS pigs, 32 Large White (LW) pigs, and 22 Xiangxi black (XXB) pigs, and ~2.49 GB of SNPs were obtained. These data were combined with those of two other pig breeds, and it was found that most of the genes detected (354) were located within the distinct genetic regions between WZS pigs and LW pigs. The network that was constructed using these genes represented a center including 12 hub genes, five of which had structural variations (SVs) within their regulatory regions. Furthermore, RNA-seq and RT-qPCR data for 12 genes were primarily consistent in liver, spleen, and LDM tissues. Notably, the expression of HSPs (HSPD1 and HSPE1) was higher while that of most genes involved in the JAK3-STAT pathway were lower in liver tissue of WZS pigs, compared with LW pigs. This likely not only reduced inflammation-related immune response but also impaired their growth. Our findings demonstrated the role of HSPs in the connection between inflammation and growth rate, while also providing the fundamental genetic selection of the adaptability of WZS pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Ren
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Feng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Ruiping Sun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Xinli Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Yanning Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Lingling Hong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Xiaoxian Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
| | - Zhe Chao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal Breeding and Disease Research, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China; (Y.R.)
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18
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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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Pokharel K, Weldenegodguad M, Dudeck S, Honkatukia M, Lindeberg H, Mazzullo N, Paasivaara A, Peippo J, Soppela P, Stammler F, Kantanen J. Whole-genome sequencing provides novel insights into the evolutionary history and genetic adaptation of reindeer populations in northern Eurasia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:23019. [PMID: 38155192 PMCID: PMC10754820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50253-7] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Domestic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) play a vital role in the culture and livelihoods of indigenous people across northern Eurasia. These animals are well adapted to harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme cold, limited feed availability and long migration distances. Therefore, understanding the genomics of reindeer is crucial for improving their management, conservation and utilisation. In this study, we have generated a new genome assembly for the Fennoscandian domestic reindeer with high contiguity, making it the most complete reference genome for reindeer to date. The new genome assembly was utilised to explore genetic diversity, population structure and selective sweeps in Eurasian Rangifer tarandus populations which was based on the largest population genomic dataset for reindeer, encompassing 58 individuals from diverse populations. Phylogenetic analyses revealed distinct genetic clusters, with the Finnish wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) standing out as a unique subspecies. Divergence time estimates suggested a separation of ~ 52 thousand years ago (Kya) between the northern European Rangifer tarandus fennicus and Rangifer tarandus tarandus. Our study identified four main genetic clusters: Fennoscandian, the eastern/northern Russian and Alaskan group, the Finnish forest reindeer, and the Svalbard reindeer. Furthermore, two independent reindeer domestication processes were inferred, suggesting separate origins for the domestic Fennoscandian and eastern/northern Russian reindeer. Notably, shared genes under selection, including retroviral genes, point towards molecular domestication processes that aided adaptation of this species to diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kisun Pokharel
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Myllytie 1, 31600, Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Melak Weldenegodguad
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Myllytie 1, 31600, Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Stephan Dudeck
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96100, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | | | - Heli Lindeberg
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 71750, Maaninka, Finland
| | - Nuccio Mazzullo
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96100, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Antti Paasivaara
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Paavo Havaksentie 3, 90570, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jaana Peippo
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Myllytie 1, 31600, Jokioinen, Finland
- NordGen-Nordic Genetic Resource Center, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Päivi Soppela
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96100, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | | | - Juha Kantanen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Myllytie 1, 31600, Jokioinen, Finland.
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20
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Lukic B, Curik I, Drzaic I, Galić V, Shihabi M, Vostry L, Cubric-Curik V. Genomic signatures of selection, local adaptation and production type characterisation of East Adriatic sheep breeds. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:142. [PMID: 37932811 PMCID: PMC10626677 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00936-y] [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: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of sheep breeding in the Mediterranean part of the eastern Adriatic has a long tradition since its arrival during the Neolithic migrations. Sheep production system is extensive and generally carried out in traditional systems without intensive systematic breeding programmes for high uniform trait production (carcass, wool and milk yield). Therefore, eight indigenous Croatian sheep breeds from eastern Adriatic treated here as metapopulation (EAS), are generally considered as multipurpose breeds (milk, meat and wool), not specialised for a particular type of production, but known for their robustness and resistance to certain environmental conditions. Our objective was to identify genomic regions and genes that exhibit patterns of positive selection signatures, decipher their biological and productive functionality, and provide a "genomic" characterization of EAS adaptation and determine its production type. RESULTS We identified positive selection signatures in EAS using several methods based on reduced local variation, linkage disequilibrium and site frequency spectrum (eROHi, iHS, nSL and CLR). Our analyses identified numerous genomic regions and genes (e.g., desmosomal cadherin and desmoglein gene families) associated with environmental adaptation and economically important traits. Most candidate genes were related to meat/production and health/immune response traits, while some of the candidate genes discovered were important for domestication and evolutionary processes (e.g., HOXa gene family and FSIP2). These results were also confirmed by GO and QTL enrichment analysis. CONCLUSIONS Our results contribute to a better understanding of the unique adaptive genetic architecture of EAS and define its productive type, ultimately providing a new opportunity for future breeding programmes. At the same time, the numerous genes identified will improve our understanding of ruminant (sheep) robustness and resistance in the harsh and specific Mediterranean environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Lukic
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J, Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, 31000, Osijek, Croatia.
| | - Ino Curik
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Ivana Drzaic
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vlatko Galić
- Department of Maize Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno predgrađe 17, 31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Mario Shihabi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Luboš Vostry
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Praque, Czech Republic
| | - Vlatka Cubric-Curik
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
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21
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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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22
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Wang D, Salehian-Dehkordi H, Suo L, Lv F. Impacts of Population Size and Domestication Process on Genetic Diversity and Genetic Load in Genus Ovis. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1977. [PMID: 37895326 PMCID: PMC10606048 DOI: 10.3390/genes14101977] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In theoretical biology, a prevailing hypothesis posits a profound interconnection between effective population size (Ne), genetic diversity, inbreeding, and genetic load. The domestication and improvement processes are believed to be pivotal in diminishing genetic diversity while elevating levels of inbreeding and increasing genetic load. In this study, we performed a whole genome analysis to quantity genetic diversity, inbreeding, and genetic load across seven wild Ovis species and five domesticated sheep breeds. Our research demonstrates that the genetic load and diversity of species in the genus Ovis have no discernible impact on recent Ne, and three species within the subgenus Pachyceros tend to carry a higher genetic load and lower genetic diversity patterns. The results coincide with these species' dramatic decline in population sizes within the subgenus Pachyceros ~80-250 thousand years ago. European mouflon presented with the lowest Ne, lower genetic diversity, and higher individual inbreeding coefficient but a lower genetic load (missense and LoF). This suggests that the small Ne of European mouflon could reduce harmful mutations compared to other species within the genus Ovis. We showed lower genetic diversity in domesticated sheep than in Asiatic mouflon, but counterintuitive patterns of genetic load, i.e., lower weak genetic load (missense mutation) and no significant difference in strong genetic load (LoF mutation) between domestic sheep and Asiatic mouflon. These findings reveal that the "cost of domestication" during domestication and improvement processes reduced genetic diversity and purified weak genetic load more efficiently than wild species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongfeng 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
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
| | | | - Langda Suo
- Institute of Animal Science, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa 850009, China;
| | - Fenghua Lv
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
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23
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Wang J, Hua G, Chen J, Cui K, Yang Z, Han D, Yang X, Dong X, Ma Y, Cai G, Zhang Y, Li J, Tai Y, Da L, Li X, Ma L, Ma Q, Li R, Liu J, Darwish HYA, Wu K, Rong W, Liu W, Zhao Y, Deng X. Epigenetic mechanism of Gtl2-miRNAs causes the primitive sheep characteristics found in purebred Merino sheep. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:190. [PMID: 37828606 PMCID: PMC10571318 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01142-z] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is not uncommon for some individuals to retain certain primitive characteristics even after domestication or long-term intensive selection. Wild ancestors or original varieties of animals typically possess strong adaptability to environmental preservation, a trait that is often lacking in highly artificially selected populations. In the case of the Merino population, a world-renowned fine wool sheep breed, a phenotype with primitive coarse wool characteristic has re-emerged. It is currently unclear whether this characteristic is detrimental to the production of fine wool or whether it is linked to the adaptability of sheep. The underlying genetic/epigenetic mechanisms behind this trait are also poorly understood. RESULTS This study identified lambs with an ancestral-like coarse (ALC) wool type that emerged during the purebred breeding of Merino fine wool sheep. The presence of this primitive sheep characteristic resulted in better environmental adaptability in lambs, as well as improved fine wool yield in adulthood. Reciprocal cross experiments revealed that the ALC phenotype exhibited maternal genetic characteristics. Transcriptomic SNP analysis indicated that the ALC phenotype was localized to the imprinted Gtl2-miRNAs locus, and a significant correlation was found between the ALC wool type and a newly identified short Interstitial Telomeric Sequences (s-ITSs) at this locus. We further confirmed that a novel 38-nt small RNA transcribed from these s-ITSs, in combination with the previously reported 22-nt small RNAs cluster from the Gtl2-miRNAs locus, synergistically inhibited PI3K/AKT/Metabolic/Oxidative stress and subsequent apoptotic pathways in wool follicle stem cells, resulting in the ALC wool type. The necessity of Gtl2-miRNAs in controlling primary hair follicle morphogenesis, as well as the wool follicle type for ALC wool lambs, was verified using intergenic differentially methylated region-knockout mice. CONCLUSION The ALC wool type of Merino sheep, which does not reduce wool quality but increases yield and adaptability, is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms in the imprinted Gtl2-miRNAs region on sheep chromosome 18, with the maternally expressed imprinted gene responsible for the ALC phenotype. This study highlights the significance of epigenetic regulation during embryonic and juvenile stages and emphasizes the advantages of early adaptation breeding for maternal parents in enhancing the overall performance of their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankui Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Guoying Hua
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jianfei Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Kai Cui
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
- Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100086, China
| | - Zu Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Deping Han
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xue Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xianggui Dong
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuhao Ma
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ganxian Cai
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jinnan Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yurong Tai
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lai Da
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Huhhot, 010031, China
| | - Xinhai Li
- College of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Lina Ma
- Institute of Animal Science, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 750002, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Institute of Animal Science, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 750002, China
| | - Rui Li
- Jinfeng Animal Husbandry Group Co., Ltd., Chifeng, 024000, China
| | - Jianbin Liu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - Hesham Y A Darwish
- Department of Applied Biotechnology, Molecular Biology Researches & Studies Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Keliang Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Weiheng Rong
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Huhhot, 010031, China
| | - Wansheng Liu
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Reproductive Biology and Health, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Yaofeng Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xuemei Deng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement & Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Zhang H, Yang P, Liu C, Ma Y, Han Y, Zeng Y, Huang Y, Zhao Y, Zhao Z, He X, E G. Novel Heredity Basis of the Four-Horn Phenotype in Sheep Using Genome-Wide Sequence Data. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3166. [PMID: 37893889 PMCID: PMC10603714 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203166] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Horns are an important breeding trait for sheep. However, no widely recognized viewpoint on the regulatory genes and mechanisms of horns is available, and the genetic basis of the four-horn phenotype (FHP) is unclear. This work conducted a genome-wide association study with 100 sheep genomes from multiple breeds to investigate the genetic basis of the FHP. The results revealed three significant associations (corrected as p < 1.64 × 10-8) of the InDels (CHR2: g.133,742,709delA, g.133,743,215insC, and g.133,743,940delT) for FHP in the intergenic sequence (IGS) between the MTX2 and the LOC105609047 of CHR2. Moreover, 14 significant associations (corrected as p < 1.42 × 10-9) of SNPs with the FHP phenotype were identified in CHR2 and CHR16, including five (e.g., CHR16: g.40,351,378G > A and g.40,352,577G > A) located in the intron of the ADAMTS12 gene, eight (e.g., CHR2: g.133,727,513C > T and g.133,732,145T > G) in the IGS between MTX2 and LOC105609047, and only one (CHR2: g.133,930,761A > G) in the IGS between HOXD1 and MTX2. Obvious divergence was also observed in genotype patterns between the FHP and others (two horns and hornless) in the HOXD1 and ADAMTS12 gene regions. An extremely significant linkage also occurred between Loci I and Loci II within 100 individuals (LD = -156.02186, p < 0.00001). In summary, our study indicated that the genomic sequences from CHR2 and CHR16 contributed to the FHP in sheep, specifically the key candidate genes HOXD1 and ADAMTS12. These results improved our understanding of the Mendelian genetic basis of the FHP in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyuan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Pu Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Chengli Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuehui Ma
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Yanguo Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yan Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongfu Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongju Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhongquan Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaohong He
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Guangxin E
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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Zong W, Wang J, Zhao R, Niu N, Su Y, Hu Z, Liu X, Hou X, Wang L, Wang L, Zhang L. Associations of genome-wide structural variations with phenotypic differences in cross-bred Eurasian pigs. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:136. [PMID: 37805653 PMCID: PMC10559557 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00929-x] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During approximately 10,000 years of domestication and selection, a large number of structural variations (SVs) have emerged in the genome of pig breeds, profoundly influencing their phenotypes and the ability to adapt to the local environment. SVs (≥ 50 bp) are widely distributed in the genome, mainly in the form of insertion (INS), mobile element insertion (MEI), deletion (DEL), duplication (DUP), inversion (INV), and translocation (TRA). While studies have investigated the SVs in pig genomes, genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-based on SVs have been rarely conducted. RESULTS Here, we obtained a high-quality SV map containing 123,151 SVs from 15 Large White and 15 Min pigs through integrating the power of several SV tools, with 53.95% of the SVs being reported for the first time. These high-quality SVs were used to recover the population genetic structure, confirming the accuracy of genotyping. Potential functional SV loci were then identified based on positional effects and breed stratification. Finally, GWAS were performed for 36 traits by genotyping the screened potential causal loci in the F2 population according to their corresponding genomic positions. We identified a large number of loci involved in 8 carcass traits and 6 skeletal traits on chromosome 7, with FKBP5 containing the most significant SV locus for almost all traits. In addition, we found several significant loci in intramuscular fat, abdominal circumference, heart weight, and liver weight, etc. CONCLUSIONS: We constructed a high-quality SV map using high-coverage sequencing data and then analyzed them by performing GWAS for 25 carcass traits, 7 skeletal traits, and 4 meat quality traits to determine that SVs may affect body size between European and Chinese pig breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wencheng Zong
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jinbu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Runze Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, 030801, China
| | - Naiqi Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yanfang Su
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ziping Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xinhua Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ligang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lixian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Longchao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
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26
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Gonçalves-Dias J, Singh A, Graf C, Stetter MG. Genetic Incompatibilities and Evolutionary Rescue by Wild Relatives Shaped Grain Amaranth Domestication. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad177. [PMID: 37552934 PMCID: PMC10439364 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad177] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Crop domestication and the subsequent expansion of crops have long been thought of as a linear process from a wild ancestor to a domesticate. However, evidence of gene flow from locally adapted wild relatives that provided adaptive alleles into crops has been identified in multiple species. Yet, little is known about the evolutionary consequences of gene flow during domestication and the interaction of gene flow and genetic load in crop populations. We study the pseudo-cereal grain amaranth that has been domesticated three times in different geographic regions of the Americas. We quantify the amount and distribution of gene flow and genetic load along the genome of the three grain amaranth species and their two wild relatives. Our results show ample gene flow between crop species and between crops and their wild relatives. Gene flow from wild relatives decreased genetic load in the three crop species. This suggests that wild relatives could provide evolutionary rescue by replacing deleterious alleles in crops. We assess experimental hybrids between the three crop species and found genetic incompatibilities between one Central American grain amaranth and the other two crop species. These incompatibilities might have created recent reproductive barriers and maintained species integrity today. Together, our results show that gene flow played an important role in the domestication and expansion of grain amaranth, despite genetic species barriers. The domestication of plants was likely not linear and created a genomic mosaic by multiple contributors with varying fitness effects for today's crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akanksha Singh
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Corbinian Graf
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Markus G Stetter
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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27
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Wang J, Hua G, Cai G, Ma Y, Yang X, Zhang L, Li R, Liu J, Ma Q, Wu K, Zhao Y, Deng X. Genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome analyses reveal the key gene for wool type variation in sheep. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:88. [PMID: 37420295 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00893-6] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wool fibers are valuable materials for textile industry. Typical wool fibers are divided into medullated and non-medullated types, with the former generated from primary wool follicles and the latter by either primary or secondary wool follicles. The medullated wool is a common wool type in the ancestors of fine wool sheep before breeding. The fine wool sheep have a non-medullated coat. However, the critical period determining the type of wool follicles is the embryonic stage, which limits the phenotypic observation and variant contrast, making both selection and studies of wool type variation fairly difficult. RESULTS During the breeding of a modern fine (MF) wool sheep population with multiple-ovulation and embryo transfer technique, we serendipitously discovered lambs with ancestral-like coarse (ALC) wool. Whole-genome resequencing confirmed ALC wool lambs as a variant type from the MF wool population. We mapped the significantly associated methylation locus on chromosome 4 by using whole genome bisulfite sequencing signals, and in turn identified the SOSTDC1 gene as exons hypermethylated in ALC wool lambs compare to their half/full sibling MF wool lambs. Transcriptome sequencing found that SOSTDC1 was expressed dozens of times more in ALC wool lamb skin than that of MF and was at the top of all differentially expressed genes. An analogy with the transcriptome of coarse/fine wool breeds revealed that differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways at postnatal lamb stage in ALC/MF were highly similar to those at the embryonic stage in the former. Further experiments validated that the SOSTDC1 gene was specifically highly expressed in the nucleus of the dermal papilla of primary wool follicles. CONCLUSION In this study, we conducted genome-wide differential methylation site association analysis on differential wool type trait, and located the only CpG locus that strongly associated with primary wool follicle development. Combined with transcriptome analysis, SOSTDC1 was identified as the only gene at this locus that was specifically overexpressed in the primary wool follicle stem cells of ALC wool lamb skin. The discovery of this key gene and its epigenetic regulation contributes to understanding the domestication and breeding of fine wool sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoying Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Ganxian Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Letian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Li
- Jinfeng Animal Husbandry Group Co., Ltd., Chifeng, 024000, China
| | - Jianbin Liu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Animal Science Institute of Ningxia Agriculture and Forestry Academy, Yinchuan, 750002, China
| | - Keliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaofeng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture & Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
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28
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Luo Y, Zhang M, Guo Z, Wijayanti D, Xu H, Jiang F, Lan X. Insertion/Deletion (InDel) Variants within the Sheep Fat-Deposition-Related PDGFD Gene Strongly Affect Morphological Traits. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091485. [PMID: 37174523 PMCID: PMC10177341 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091485] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGFD) is a member of the PDGF gene family, and it plays an important role in the regulation of adipocyte development in mammals. Furthermore, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have previously identified it as a candidate gene associated with fleece fiber variation, body size, and the fat-tail phenotype in domestic Chinese sheep. In this study, a total of 1919 indigenous Chinese sheep were genotyped to examine the association between nucleotide sequence variations in PDGFD and body morphology. Our results detected both a 14 bp insertion in intron 2 and a 13 bp deletion in intron 4 of PDGFD. Moreover, these two InDel loci had low to moderate polymorphism. Notably, the 13 bp deletion mutation of PDGFD was found to significantly affect sheep body size. Yearling rams in the Luxi black-headed sheep (LXBH) containing a heterozygous genotype (insertion/deletion, ID) were found to have larger body length, chest depth, and body weight than those with wild genotypes. Furthermore, adult ewes in the Guiqian semi-fine wool sheep (GSFW) containing a homozygous mutation (deletion/deletion, DD) were found to have smaller chest width than their peers. Moreover, yearling ewes in this group with the same homozygous mutation were found to have lower body weight, chest width, and cannon circumference compared to those of other individuals. This study demonstrates that PDGFD InDel polymorphisms have the potential to be effective molecular markers to improve morphological traits in domestic Chinese sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Mengyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Zhengang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Bijie Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Research Institute, Bijie 551700, China
| | - Dwi Wijayanti
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Hongwei Xu
- College of Life Science and Engineering, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, China
| | - Fugui Jiang
- Shandong Key Lab of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xianyong Lan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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29
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Whole-body adipose tissue multi-omic analyses in sheep reveal molecular mechanisms underlying local adaptation to extreme environments. Commun Biol 2023; 6:159. [PMID: 36755107 PMCID: PMC9908986 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04523-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The fat tail of sheep is an important organ that has evolved to adapt to extreme environments. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying the fat tail phenotype remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize transcriptome and lipidome profiles and morphological changes in 250 adipose tissues from two thin-tailed and three fat-tailed sheep populations in summer and winter. We implement whole-genome selective sweep tests to identify genetic variants related to fat-tails. We identify a set of functional genes that show differential expression in the tail fat of fat-tailed and thin-tailed sheep in summer and winter. These genes are significantly enriched in pathways, such as lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, molecular transport, and inflammatory response. In contrast to thin-tailed sheep, tail fat from fat-tailed sheep show slighter changes in adipocyte size, ECM remodeling, and lipid metabolism, and had less inflammation in response to seasonal changes, indicating improved homeostasis. Whole-genome selective sweep tests identify genes involved in preadipocyte commitment (e.g., BMP2, PDGFD) and terminal adipogenic differentiation (e.g., VEGFA), which could contribute to enhanced adipocyte hyperplasia. Altogether, we establish a model of regulatory networks regulating adipose homeostasis in sheep tails. These findings improve our understanding of how adipose homeostasis is maintained, in response to extreme environments in animals.
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30
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Ghildiyal K, Panigrahi M, Kumar H, Rajawat D, Nayak SS, Lei C, Bhushan B, Dutt T. Selection signatures for fiber production in commercial species: A review. Anim Genet 2023; 54:3-23. [PMID: 36352515 DOI: 10.1111/age.13272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Natural fibers derived from diverse animal species have gained increased attention in recent years due to their favorable environmental effects, long-term sustainability benefits, and remarkable physical and mechanical properties that make them valuable raw materials used for textile and non-textile production. Domestication and selective breeding for the economically significant fiber traits play an imperative role in shaping the genomes and, thus, positively impact the overall productivity of the various fiber-producing species. These selection pressures leave unique footprints on the genome due to alteration in the allelic frequencies at specific loci, characterizing selective sweeps. Recent advances in genomics have enabled the discovery of selection signatures across the genome using a variety of methods. The increased demand for 'green products' manufactured from natural fibers necessitates a detailed investigation of the genomes of the various fiber-producing plant and animal species to identify the candidate genes associated with important fiber attributes such as fiber diameter/fineness, color, length, and strength, among others. The objective of this review is to present a comprehensive overview of the concept of selection signature and selective sweeps, discuss the main methods used for its detection, and address the selection signature studies conducted so far in the diverse fiber-producing animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanika Ghildiyal
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Manjit Panigrahi
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Harshit Kumar
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Divya Rajawat
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | | | - Chuzhao Lei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Triveni Dutt
- Livestock Production and Management Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
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Shi H, Li T, Su M, Wang H, Li Q, Lang X, Ma Y. Whole genome sequencing revealed genetic diversity, population structure, and selective signature of Panou Tibetan sheep. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:50. [PMID: 36707771 PMCID: PMC9883975 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09146-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The detection of selective traits in different populations can not only reveal current mechanisms of artificial selection for breeding, but also provide new insights into phenotypic variation in new varieties and the search for genes associated with important traits. Panou sheep is a cultivated breed of Tibetan sheep in China with stable genetic performance, consistent appearance and fast growth and development after decades of artificial selection and cultivation. Due to long-term adaptation to the high altitude, cold and hypoxic environment in the plateau area, they may have formed a unique gene pool that is different from other Tibetan sheep breeds. To explore the genetic resources of Panou sheep, we used next-generation sequencing technology for the first time to investigate the genome-wide population structure, genetic diversity, and candidate signatures of positive selection in Panou sheep. RESULTS Comparative genomic analysis with the closely related species Oula sheep (a native breed of Tibetan sheep in China) was used to screen the population selection signal of Panou sheep. Principal component analysis and neighbor joining tree showed that Panou sheep and Oula sheep had differences in population differentiation. Furthermore, analyses of population structure, they came from the same ancestor, and when K = 2, the two populations could be distinguished. Panou sheep exhibit genetic diversity comparable to Oula sheep, as shown by observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity and runs of homozygosity. Genome-wide scanning using the Fst and π ratio methods revealed a list of potentially selected related genes in Panou sheep compared to Oula sheep, including histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9), protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2), microphthalmia-related transcription factor (MITF), vesicular amine transporter 1 (VAT1), trichohyalin-like 1 (TCHHL1), amine oxidase, copper containing 3 (AOC3), interferon-inducible protein 35 (IFI35). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that traits related to growth and development and plateau adaptation may be selection targets for the domestication and breeding improvement of Tibetan sheep. This study provides the fundamental footprints for Panou sheep breeding and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Shi
- grid.411734.40000 0004 1798 5176College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070 China ,Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou, 730070 China
| | - Taotao Li
- grid.411734.40000 0004 1798 5176College 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
- grid.411734.40000 0004 1798 5176College 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
- grid.411734.40000 0004 1798 5176College 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
- grid.411734.40000 0004 1798 5176College 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
- grid.464277.40000 0004 0646 9133Institute of Animal & Pasture Science and Green Agriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou, 730070 China
| | - Youji Ma
- grid.411734.40000 0004 1798 5176College 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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32
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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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Guo Y, Bai F, Wang J, Fu S, Zhang Y, Liu X, Zhang Z, Shao J, Li R, Wang F, Zhang L, Zheng H, Wang X, Liu Y, Jiang Y. Design and characterization of a high-resolution multiple-SNP capture array by target sequencing for sheep. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:skac383. [PMID: 36402741 PMCID: PMC9833038 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficiency of molecular breeding largely depends on inexpensive genotyping arrays. In this study, we aimed to develop an ovine high-resolution multiple-single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) capture array, based on genotyping by target sequencing (GBTS) system with capture-in-solution (liquid chip) technology. All the markers were from 40K captured regions, including genes located within selective sweep regions, breed-specific regions, quantitative trait loci (QTL), and the potential functional SNPs on the sheep genome. The results showed that a total of 210K high-quality SNPs were identified in the 40K regions, indicating a high average capture ratio (99.7%) for the target genomic regions. Using genotyped data (n = 317) from liquid chip technology, we further performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to detect the genetic loci affecting sheep hair types and teat number. A single significant association signal for hair types was identified on 6.7-7.1 Mb of chromosome 25. The IRF2BP2 gene (chr25: 7,067,974-7,071,785), which is located within this genomic region, has been previously known to be involved in hair/wool traits in sheep. The results further showed a new candidate region around 26.4 Mb of chromosome 13, between the ARHGAP21 and KIAA1217 genes, that was significantly related to teat number in sheep. The haplotype patterns of this region also showed differences in animals with 2, 3, or 4 teats. Advances in using the high-accuracy and low-cost liquid chip are expected to accelerate sheep genomic and breeding studies in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingwei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Fengting Bai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, 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 712100, China
| | - Shaoyin Fu
- Institute of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot 010031, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xiaoyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, 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 712100, 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 712100, 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 712100, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, 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 712100, China
| | - Huiling Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, 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 712100, China
| | - Yongbin Liu
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
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Chessari G, Criscione A, Tolone M, Bordonaro S, Rizzuto I, Riggio S, Macaluso V, Moscarelli A, Portolano B, Sardina MT, Mastrangelo S. High-density SNP markers elucidate the genetic divergence and population structure of Noticiana sheep breed in the Mediterranean context. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1127354. [PMID: 37205231 PMCID: PMC10185747 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1127354] [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: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Among livestock species, sheep have played an early major role in the Mediterranean area. Italy has a long history of sheep breeding and, despite a dramatic contraction in numbers, still raise several local populations that may represent a unique source of genetic diversity. The Noticiana is a breed of the south-eastern part of Sicily appreciated both for its dairy products and for its resistance to harsh environment. In this study, the high-density Illumina Ovine SNP600K BeadChip array was used for the first genome-wide characterization of 48 individuals of Noticiana sheep to investigate its diversity, the genome structure and the relationship within the context of worldwide and Italian breeds. Moreover, the runs of homozygosity (ROH) pattern and the pairwise FST-outliers were examined. Noticiana reported moderate levels of genetic diversity. The high percentage of short and medium length ROH segments (93% under 4 Mb) is indicative of a within breed relatedness dating back to ancient times, despite the absence of management for the mating plans and the reduced population size. In the worldwide context, the Southern Italian, Spanish and Albanian breeds overlapped in a macro cluster which also included the Noticiana sheep. The results highlighted ancestral genetic components of Noticiana shared with Comisana breed, and showed the clear separation from the other Italian sheep. This is likely the consequence of the combined effects of genetic drift, small population size and reproductive isolation. ROH islands and FST-outliers approaches in Noticiana identified genes and QTLs involved in milk and meat production, as well as related to the local adaptation, and therefore are consistent with the phenotypic traits of the studied breed. Although a wider sampling could be useful to deepen the genomic survey on Noticiana, these results represent a crucial starting point for the characterization of an important local genetic resource, with a view of supporting the local economy and preserving the biodiversity of the sheep species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Chessari
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Andrea Criscione
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Tolone
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Bordonaro
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Ilaria Rizzuto
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Silvia Riggio
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vito Macaluso
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Angelo Moscarelli
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Baldassare Portolano
- 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
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- *Correspondence: Salvatore Mastrangelo,
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35
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Li C, Wu Y, Chen B, Cai Y, Guo J, Leonard AS, Kalds P, Zhou S, Zhang J, Zhou P, Gan S, Jia T, Pu T, Suo L, Li Y, Zhang K, Li L, Purevdorj M, Wang X, Li M, Wang Y, Liu Y, Huang S, Sonstegard T, Wang MS, Kemp S, Pausch H, Chen Y, Han JL, Jiang Y, Wang X. Markhor-derived Introgression of a Genomic Region Encompassing PAPSS2 Confers High-altitude Adaptability in Tibetan Goats. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6830663. [PMID: 36382357 PMCID: PMC9728798 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic mechanism of how animals adapt to extreme conditions is fundamental to determine the relationship between molecular evolution and changing environments. Goat is one of the first domesticated species and has evolved rapidly to adapt to diverse environments, including harsh high-altitude conditions with low temperature and poor oxygen supply but strong ultraviolet radiation. Here, we analyzed 331 genomes of domestic goats and wild caprid species living at varying altitudes (high > 3000 m above sea level and low < 1200 m), along with a reference-guided chromosome-scale assembly (contig-N50: 90.4 Mb) of a female Tibetan goat genome based on PacBio HiFi long reads, to dissect the genetic determinants underlying their adaptation to harsh conditions on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Population genomic analyses combined with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed a genomic region harboring the 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate synthase 2 (PAPSS2) gene showing strong association with high-altitude adaptability (PGWAS = 3.62 × 10-25) in Tibetan goats. Transcriptomic data from 13 tissues revealed that PAPSS2 was implicated in hypoxia-related pathways in Tibetan goats. We further verified potential functional role of PAPSS2 in response to hypoxia in PAPSS2-deficient cells. Introgression analyses suggested that the PAPSS2 haplotype conferring the high-altitude adaptability in Tibetan goats originated from a recent hybridization between goats and a wild caprid species, the markhor (Capra falconeri). In conclusion, our results uncover a hitherto unknown contribution of PAPSS2 to high-altitude adaptability in Tibetan goats on QTP, following interspecific introgression and natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Peter Kalds
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Shiwei Zhou
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China,College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jingchen Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China,State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China
| | - Shangqu Gan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China,State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China
| | - Ting Jia
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Tianchun Pu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Langda Suo
- Institute of Animal Science, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa 850009, China
| | - Yan Li
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Lan Li
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Myagmarsuren Purevdorj
- Lab of Animal Genetics and Animal Reproductive Technology, Research Institute of Animal Husbandry, Mongolian University of Life Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 17024, Mongolia
| | - Xihong Wang
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Ming Li
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yu Wang
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yao Liu
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | | | - Ming-Shan Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 94720
| | - Stephen Kemp
- Livestock Genetics Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi 30709-00100, Kenya
| | - Hubert Pausch
- Animal Genomics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yulin Chen
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | | | - Yu Jiang
- Corresponding authors: E-mails: ; ;
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36
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Kalds P, Huang S, Chen Y, Wang X. Ovine HOXB13: expanding the gene repertoire of sheep tail patterning and implications in genetic improvement. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1196. [DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04199-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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37
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Li X, He SG, Li WR, Luo LY, Yan Z, Mo DX, Wan X, Lv FH, Yang J, Xu YX, Deng J, Zhu QH, Xie XL, Xu SS, Liu CX, Peng XR, Han B, Li ZH, Chen L, Han JL, Ding XZ, Dingkao R, Chu YF, Wu JY, Wang LM, Zhou P, Liu MJ, Li MH. Genomic analyses of wild argali, domestic sheep, and their hybrids provide insights into chromosome evolution, phenotypic variation, and germplasm innovation. Genome Res 2022; 32:1669-1684. [PMID: 35948368 PMCID: PMC9528982 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276769.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the genetic mechanisms of phenotypic variation in hybrids between domestic animals and their wild relatives may aid germplasm innovation. Here, we report the high-quality genome assemblies of a male Pamir argali (O ammon polii, 2n = 56), a female Tibetan sheep (O aries, 2n = 54), and a male hybrid of Pamir argali and domestic sheep, and the high-throughput sequencing of 425 ovine animals, including the hybrids of argali and domestic sheep. We detected genomic synteny between Chromosome 2 of sheep and two acrocentric chromosomes of argali. We revealed consistent satellite repeats around the chromosome breakpoints, which could have resulted in chromosome fusion. We observed many more hybrids with karyotype 2n = 54 than with 2n = 55, which could be explained by the selfish centromeres, the possible decreased rate of normal/balanced sperm, and the increased incidence of early pregnancy loss in the aneuploid ewes or rams. We identified genes and variants associated with important morphological and production traits (e.g., body weight, cannon circumference, hip height, and tail length) that show significant variations. We revealed a strong selective signature at the mutation (c.334C > A, p.G112W) in TBXT and confirmed its association with tail length among sheep populations of wide geographic and genetic origins. We produced an intercross population of 110 F2 offspring with varied number of vertebrae and validated the causal mutation by whole-genome association analysis. We verified its function using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. Our results provide insights into chromosomal speciation and phenotypic evolution and a foundation of genetic variants for the breeding of sheep and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- 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
| | - San-Gang He
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Wen-Rong Li
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Ling-Yun Luo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ze Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dong-Xin Mo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xing Wan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Feng-Hua Lv
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ji Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ya-Xi Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Juan Deng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Qiang-Hui Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- 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
| | - 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
| | - Song-Song Xu
- 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
| | - Chen-Xi Liu
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Xin-Rong Peng
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Bin Han
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Zhong-Hui Li
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Lei Chen
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Jian-Lin Han
- CAAS-ILRI Joint Laboratory on Livestock and Forage Genetic Resources, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100193, China
- Livestock Genetics Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
| | - Xue-Zhi Ding
- MOA Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development of Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - Renqing Dingkao
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Hezuo, 747000, China
| | - Yue-Feng Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, China
| | - Jin-Yan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, China
| | - Li-Min Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China
| | - Ming-Jun Liu
- MOA Key Laboratory of Ruminant Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA); Key Laboratory of Animal Technology of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, 830000, China
| | - Meng-Hua Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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38
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Kalds P, Zhou S, Gao Y, Cai B, Huang S, Chen Y, Wang X. Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes. Genet Sel Evol 2022; 54:61. [PMID: 36085023 PMCID: PMC9463822 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-022-00753-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After domestication, the evolution of phenotypically-varied sheep breeds has generated rich biodiversity. This wide phenotypic variation arises as a result of hidden genomic changes that range from a single nucleotide to several thousands of nucleotides. Thus, it is of interest and significance to reveal and understand the genomic changes underlying the phenotypic variation of sheep breeds in order to drive selection towards economically important traits. REVIEW Various traits contribute to the emergence of variation in sheep phenotypic characteristics, including coat color, horns, tail, wool, ears, udder, vertebrae, among others. The genes that determine most of these phenotypic traits have been investigated, which has generated knowledge regarding the genetic determinism of several agriculturally-relevant traits in sheep. In this review, we discuss the genomic knowledge that has emerged in the past few decades regarding the phenotypic traits in sheep, and our ultimate aim is to encourage its practical application in sheep breeding. In addition, in order to expand the current understanding of the sheep genome, we shed light on research gaps that require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS Although significant research efforts have been conducted in the past few decades, several aspects of the sheep genome remain unexplored. For the full utilization of the current knowledge of the sheep genome, a wide practical application is still required in order to boost sheep productive performance and contribute to the generation of improved sheep breeds. The accumulated knowledge on the sheep genome will help advance and strengthen sheep breeding programs to face future challenges in the sector, such as climate change, global human population growth, and the increasing demand for products of animal origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kalds
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, 45511 Egypt
| | - Shiwei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Yawei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Bei Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Yulin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, 712100 China
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39
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Drzaic I, Curik I, Lukic B, Shihabi M, Li MH, Kantanen J, Mastrangelo S, Ciani E, Lenstra JA, Cubric-Curik V. High-Density Genomic Characterization of Native Croatian Sheep Breeds. Front Genet 2022; 13:940736. [PMID: 35910220 PMCID: PMC9337876 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.940736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent comprehensive genomic analysis based on 50K SNP profiles has shown that the regional Balkan sheep populations have considerable genetic overlap but are distinctly different from surrounding breeds. All eight Croatian sheep breeds were represented by a small number of individuals per breed. Here, we genotyped 220 individuals representing the native Croatian sheep breeds (Istrian Sheep, Krk Island Sheep, Cres Island Sheep, Rab Island Sheep, Lika Pramenka, Pag Island Sheep, Dalmatian Pramenka, Dubrovnik Sheep) and mouflon using the Ovine Infinium® HD SNP BeadChip (606,006 SNPs). In addition, we included publicly available Balkan Pramenka and other Mediterranean sheep breeds. Our analyses revealed the complex population structure of Croatian sheep breeds and their origin and geographic barriers (island versus mainland). Migration patterns confirmed the historical establishment of breeds and the pathways of gene flow. Inbreeding coefficients (FROH>2 Mb) between sheep populations ranged from 0.025 to 0.070, with lower inbreeding coefficients observed in Dalmatian Pramenka and Pag Island Sheep and higher inbreeding in Dubrovnik sheep. The estimated effective population size ranged from 61 to 1039 for Krk Island Sheep and Dalmatian Pramenka, respectively. Higher inbreeding levels and lower effective population size indicate the need for improved conservation management to maintain genetic diversity in some breeds. Our results will contribute to breeding and conservation strategies of native Croatian sheep breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Drzaic
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Ivana Drzaic, ; Vlatka Cubric-Curik,
| | - Ino Curik
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Boris Lukic
- Department of Animal Production and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Chair for Domestic Animal Breeding and Genetics, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Mario Shihabi
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Meng-Hua Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Juha Kantanen
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Elena Ciani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, Universita Degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Vlatka Cubric-Curik
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Ivana Drzaic, ; Vlatka Cubric-Curik,
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Shihabi M, Lukic B, Cubric-Curik V, Brajkovic V, Oršanić M, Ugarković D, Vostry L, Curik I. Identification of Selection Signals on the X-Chromosome in East Adriatic Sheep: A New Complementary Approach. Front Genet 2022; 13:887582. [PMID: 35615375 PMCID: PMC9126029 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.887582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sheep are one of the most important livestock species in Croatia, found mainly in the Mediterranean coastal and mountainous regions along the East Adriatic coast, well adapted to the environment and mostly kept extensively. Our main objective was therefore to map the positive selection of the X-chromosome (18,983 SNPs that passed quality control), since nothing is known about the adaptation genes on this chromosome for any of the breeds from the Balkan cluster. Analyses were performed on a sample of eight native Croatian breeds (101 females and 100 males) representing the East Adriatic metapopulation and on 10 mouflons (five females and males), all sampled in Croatia. Three classical within-population approaches (extreme Runs of Homozygosity islands, integrated Haplotype Score, and number of Segregating Sites by Length) were applied along with our new approach called Haplotype Richness Drop (HRiD), which uses only the information contained in male haplotypes. We have also shown that phylogenetic analyses, such as the Median-joining network, can provide additional information when performed with the selection signals identified by HRiD. Our new approach identifies positive selection signals by searching for genomic regions that exhibit a sudden decline in haplotype richness. In total, we identified 14 positive selection signals, 11 using the classical approach and three using the HRiD approach, all together containing 34 annotated genes. The most reliable selection signal was mapped by all four approaches in the same region, overlapping between 13.17 and 13.60 Mb, and assigned to the CA5B, ZRSR2, AP1S2, and GRPR genes. High repeatability (86%) of results was observed, as 12 identified selection signals were also confirmed in other studies with sheep. HRiD offers an interesting possibility to be used complementary to other approaches or when only males are genotyped, which is often the case in genomic breeding value estimations. These results highlight the importance of the X-chromosome in the adaptive architecture of domestic ruminants, while our novel HRiD approach opens new possibilities for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Shihabi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Mario Shihabi, ; Ino Curik,
| | - Boris Lukic
- Department for Animal Production and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Vlatka Cubric-Curik
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vladimir Brajkovic
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Milan Oršanić
- Department of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Damir Ugarković
- Department of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Luboš Vostry
- Department of Genetics and Breeding, Faculty Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ino Curik
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Mario Shihabi, ; Ino Curik,
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