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Schoenecker KA, King SRB, Hennig JD, Cole MJ, Scasta JD, Beck JL. Effects of telemetry collars on two free-roaming feral equid species. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303312. [PMID: 38814957 PMCID: PMC11139308 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303312] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
There are two species of free-roaming feral equids in North America: horses (Equus caballus) and donkeys or "burros" (E. asinus). Both species were introduced as domestic animals to North America in the early 1500s and currently inhabit rangelands across the western United States, Canada, and all continents except Antarctica. Despite their global distribution, little is known about their fine scale spatial ecology. Contemporary research tools to assess space use include global positioning system (GPS) tracking collars, but older models were problematic due to stiff collar belting causing poor fit. We tested modern designs of GPS collars on n = 105 horses and n = 60 burros for 4 years in five populations (3 horse, 2 burro) across the western United States, to assess whether collars posed welfare risks to horses or burros. We found no difference in survival of collared versus uncollared mares and jennies, and no difference in survival of their foals. In 4036 of 4307 observations for horses (93.7%) and 2115 of 2258 observations for burros (93.6%), collars were observed symmetrical, maintaining proper fit on the neck. Fur effects from collars (sweaty neck, indented fur, broken fur) were seen in 3% of horse observations and 25% of burro observations. Superficial effects (chafes and marks on skin surface) were seen in 2% of horse observations and 11% of burro observations; no severe effects from collars were seen. Body condition was not affected by collars; mean body condition of collared horses was 4.70 ± 0.54 (mean ± s.d) and 4.71 ± 0.65 for collared burros. Behavior results indicated minimal effects; collared horses stood slightly more than uncollared, and collared burros stood and foraged more in one population, but not in the other. For 6.3% of observations of horses and 6.4% of observations of burros, we found an effect of time wearing a collar on the cumulative sum of fur effects which increased over time (burros: rs = 0.87, P = <0.0001; horses: rs = 0.31, P = 0.002). Burros also showed an increase over time in the number of superficial effects, but horses did not. Collars occasionally moved into the wrong position, shifting forward over the ears; we observed this on 19 horses and 1 burro. Of those, most collars went over the ears in summer (n = 12). All collars were equipped with a remote release mechanism as well as a timed-release mechanism for redundancy, thus removed when observed in wrong position to avoid rubbing or discomfort. Our finding of no consequential physical effects in 98% of horse observations, and 89% of burro observations suggests the consequences of collars on free-roaming equid welfare and survival is biologically insignificant, although collars should be monitored regularly and continue to be equipped with a remote release mechanism to remove a collar if needed. With frequent welfare-driven, visual monitoring, collaring of free-roaming equids can be a safe and useful tool to increase our understanding of their spatial ecology, demography, habitat use, behavior, and interactions with other wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A. Schoenecker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Sarah R. B. King
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - Jacob D. Hennig
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States of America
- University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Mary J. Cole
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
| | - J. Derek Scasta
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey L. Beck
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States of America
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2
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Domínguez-Viveros J, Molina-Villalobos JR, Camacho-Sandoval J, Cruz-Méndez A, Martínez-Rocha R, Jahuey-Martínez F. Structure and genetic variability of the Costa Rican Paso horse. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 132:104985. [PMID: 38096926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The Costa Rican Paso Horse (CPC) is a breed developed in Costa Rica. The objectives were to estimate the genetic structure and evaluate the levels of genetic variability of the population. The genotypes of 14 microsatellites in 3654 records (2052 females and 1602 males) were analyzed. Expected (He) and observed (Ho) heterozygosity, polymorphic information content (CIP), fixation index (FIS), Shannon index, as well as Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium (DHW) were evaluated. Kinship relationships (Rij) were estimated throughout the entire population. The effective population size (Ne) was calculated, alternating allele frequencies less than 0.05, 0.02 and 0.01. The Bayesian clustering study was carried out to infer how many lines are appropriate from the analysis of genotypes using multiple loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 7 to 17, with an average value of 9.6; nine loci presented DHW (P < 0.05); two loci presented negative FIS values, the same as Ho > He; the average of CIP, Ho and He was 0.254, 0.756 and 0.785, respectively. At the 12 loci where He > Ho, the differences ranged from 0.002 to 0.341 (0.036 on average). For Ne, the estimates were 201.9, 230.1, and 241.5. In the Rij, 54.86% of the estimates were in the interval of 0.01 to 77.7%. The number of lines that define the population corresponds to three, with an approximate composition of 33.1%, 32.4% and 34.5%, respectively. The CPC, as a subdivided population with DHW and a reduction in heterozygotes may be associated with possible Wahlund effects. Keywords: Wahlund effect, equines, genetic markers, synthetic breed, Hardy Weinberg.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Argerie Cruz-Méndez
- Instituto Nacional de Innovación y Transferencia en Tecnología Agropecuaria, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ricardo Martínez-Rocha
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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3
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Vincelette A. The Characteristics, Distribution, Function, and Origin of Alternative Lateral Horse Gaits. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2557. [PMID: 37627349 PMCID: PMC10451235 DOI: 10.3390/ani13162557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This article traces the characteristics, origin, distribution, and function of alternative lateral horse gaits, i.e., intermediate speed lateral-sequence gaits. Such alternative lateral gaits (running walk, rack, broken pace, hard pace, and broken trot) are prized by equestrians today for their comfort and have been found in select horse breeds for hundreds of years and even exhibited in fossil equid trackways. After exploring the evolution and development of alternative lateral gaits via fossil equid trackways, human art, and historical writings, the functional and genetic factors that led to the genesis of these gaits are discussed. Such gaited breeds were particularly favored and spread by the Scythians, Celts, Turks, and Spaniards. Fast and low-swinging hard pacing gaits are common in several horse breeds of mountainous areas of East and North Asia; high-stepping rack and running walk gaits are often displayed in European and North and South American breeds; the broken pace is found in breeds of Central Asia, Southeast Asia, West Asia, Western North America, and Brazil in South America; and the broken trot occurs in breeds of North Asia, South Asia, the Southern United States, and Brazil in South America, inhabiting desert or marshy areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Vincelette
- Department of Pretheology, St. John's Seminary, 5012 Seminary Road, Camarillo, CA 93021, USA
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4
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Bozlak E, Radovic L, Remer V, Rigler D, Allen L, Brem G, Stalder G, Castaneda C, Cothran G, Raudsepp T, Okuda Y, Moe KK, Moe HH, Kounnavongsa B, Keonouchanh S, Van NH, Vu VH, Shah MK, Nishibori M, Kazymbet P, Bakhtin M, Zhunushov A, Paul RC, Dashnyam B, Nozawa K, Almarzook S, Brockmann GA, Reissmann M, Antczak DF, Miller DC, Sadeghi R, von Butler-Wemken I, Kostaras N, Han H, Manglai D, Abdurasulov A, Sukhbaatar B, Ropka-Molik K, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Lopes MS, da Câmara Machado A, Kalashnikov VV, Kalinkova L, Zaitev AM, Novoa-Bravo M, Lindgren G, Brooks S, Rosa LP, Orlando L, Juras R, Kunieda T, Wallner B. Refining the evolutionary tree of the horse Y chromosome. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8954. [PMID: 37268661 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35539-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The Y chromosome carries information about the demography of paternal lineages, and thus, can prove invaluable for retracing both the evolutionary trajectory of wild animals and the breeding history of domesticates. In horses, the Y chromosome shows a limited, but highly informative, sequence diversity, supporting the increasing breeding influence of Oriental lineages during the last 1500 years. Here, we augment the primary horse Y-phylogeny, which is currently mainly based on modern horse breeds of economic interest, with haplotypes (HT) segregating in remote horse populations around the world. We analyze target enriched sequencing data of 5 Mb of the Y chromosome from 76 domestic males, together with 89 whole genome sequenced domestic males and five Przewalski's horses from previous studies. The resulting phylogeny comprises 153 HTs defined by 2966 variants and offers unprecedented resolution into the history of horse paternal lineages. It reveals the presence of a remarkable number of previously unknown haplogroups in Mongolian horses and insular populations. Phylogenetic placement of HTs retrieved from 163 archaeological specimens further indicates that most of the present-day Y-chromosomal variation evolved after the domestication process that started around 4200 years ago in the Western Eurasian steppes. Our comprehensive phylogeny significantly reduces ascertainment bias and constitutes a robust evolutionary framework for analyzing horse population dynamics and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Bozlak
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lara Radovic
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Viktoria Remer
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Doris Rigler
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lucy Allen
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gottfried Brem
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabrielle Stalder
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Caitlin Castaneda
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Gus Cothran
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Terje Raudsepp
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Yu Okuda
- Museum of Dinosaur Research, Okayama University of Science, Okayama, Japan
| | - Kyaw Kyaw Moe
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 05282, Myanmar
| | - Hla Hla Moe
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 05282, Myanmar
| | - Bounthavone Kounnavongsa
- National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (Lao) Resources, Livestock Research Center, Xaythany District, Vientiane, Laos
| | - Soukanh Keonouchanh
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam
| | - Nguyen Huu Van
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam
| | - Van Hai Vu
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam
| | - Manoj Kumar Shah
- Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, 44209, Nepal
| | - Masahide Nishibori
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan
| | - Polat Kazymbet
- Radiobiological Research Institute, JSC Astana Medical University, Astana, 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan
| | - Meirat Bakhtin
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, 720071, Kyrgyz Republic
| | - Asankadyr Zhunushov
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, 720071, Kyrgyz Republic
| | - Ripon Chandra Paul
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Barishal, Bangladesh
| | - Bumbein Dashnyam
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaan Baator, Mongolia
| | - Ken Nozawa
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Saria Almarzook
- Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institut, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gudrun A Brockmann
- Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institut, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Monika Reissmann
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Douglas F Antczak
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Donald C Miller
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Raheleh Sadeghi
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Ines von Butler-Wemken
- Barb Horse Breeding Organisation VFZB E. V., Verein der Freunde und Züchter Des Berberpferdes E.V., Kirchgasse 11, 67718, Schmalenberg, Germany
| | | | - Haige Han
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, Equine Research Center, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, 010018, China
| | - Dugarjaviin Manglai
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Equine Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, Equine Research Center, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, 010018, China
| | - Abdugani Abdurasulov
- Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Geography, Osh State University, 723500, Osh, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Boldbaatar Sukhbaatar
- Sector of Surveillance and Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases, State Central Veterinary Laboratory, Ulaanbaatar, 17024, Mongolia
| | - Katarzyna Ropka-Molik
- National Research Institute of Animal Production, Animal Molecular Biology, 31-047, Cracow, Poland
| | | | - Maria Susana Lopes
- Biotechnology Centre of Azores, University of Azores, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
| | | | | | - Liliya Kalinkova
- All-Russian Research Institute for Horse Breeding, Ryazan, 391105, Russia
| | - Alexander M Zaitev
- All-Russian Research Institute for Horse Breeding, Ryazan, 391105, Russia
| | - Miguel Novoa-Bravo
- Genética Animal de Colombia SAS., Av. Calle 26 #69-76, 111071, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biosystems, Center for Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Samantha Brooks
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Laura Patterson Rosa
- Department of Agriculture and Industry, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, TX, 79832, USA
| | - Ludovic Orlando
- Centre d'Anthropobiologie et de Génomique de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Rytis Juras
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
| | - Tetsuo Kunieda
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
| | - Barbara Wallner
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
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5
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Schoenecker KA, Esmaeili S, King SRB. Seasonal resource selection and movement ecology of free‐ranging horses in the western United States. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A. Schoenecker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 2150 Centre Avenue, Building C Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
| | - Saeideh Esmaeili
- Colorado State University, Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory 1213 Libbie Coy Way Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
| | - Sarah R. B. King
- Colorado State University, Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory 1213 Libbie Coy Way Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
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6
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Sharif MB, Fitak RR, Wallner B, Orozco-terWengel P, Frewin S, Fremaux M, Mohandesan E. Reconstruction of the Major Maternal and Paternal Lineages in the Feral New Zealand Kaimanawa Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243508. [PMID: 36552427 PMCID: PMC9774138 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243508] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
New Zealand has the fourth largest feral horse population in the world. The Kaimanawas (KHs) are feral horses descended from various domestic horse breeds released into the Kaimanawa ranges in the 19th and 20th centuries. Over time, the population size has fluctuated dramatically due to hunting, large-scale farming and forestry. Currently, the herd is managed by an annual round-up, limiting the number to 300 individuals to protect the native ecosystem. Here, we genotyped 96 KHs for uniparental markers (mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome) and assessed their genetic similarity with respect to other domestic horses. We show that at least six maternal and six paternal lineages contributed unequally to the KH gene pool, and today's KH population possibly represents two sub-populations. Our results indicate that three horse breeds, namely Welsh ponies, Thoroughbreds and Arabian horses had a major influence in the genetic-makeup of the extant KH population. We show that mitochondrial genetic diversity in KHs (π = 0.00687 ± 0.00355) is closer to that of the Sable Island horses (π = 0.0034 ± 0.00301), and less than other feral horse populations around the world. Our current findings, combined with ongoing genomic research, will provide insight into the population-specific genetic variation and inbreeding among KHs. This will largely advance equine research and improve the management of future breeding programs of these treasured New Zealand horse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal Sharif
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
- Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE), University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Robert Rodgers Fitak
- Department of Biology, Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Dr, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Barbara Wallner
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Veterinary University of Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Pablo Orozco-terWengel
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Simone Frewin
- Feed2U Ltd., 19 Wairere Valley Road, Paparoa 0571, New Zealand
| | - Michelle Fremaux
- InfogeneNZ (EPAGSC), School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, 1 Drysdale Drive, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Elmira Mohandesan
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
- Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
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7
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Luttman AM, Komine M, Thaiwong T, Carpenter T, Ewart SL, Kiupel M, Langohr IM, Venta PJ. Development of a 17-Plex of Penta- and Tetra-Nucleotide Microsatellites for DNA Profiling and Paternity Testing in Horses. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:861623. [PMID: 35464354 PMCID: PMC9021955 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.861623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetranucleotide and pentanucleotide short tandem repeat (hereafter termed tetraSTR and pentaSTR) polymorphisms have properties that make them desirable for DNA profiling and paternity testing. However, certain species, such as the horse, have far fewer tetraSTRs than other species and for this reason dinucleotide STRs (diSTRs) have become the standard for DNA profiling in horses, despite being less desirable for technical reasons. During our testing of a series of candidate genes as potentially underlying a heritable condition characterized by megaesophagus in the Friesian horse breed, we found that good tetraSTRs do exist in horses but, as expected, at a much lower frequency than in other species, e.g., dogs and humans. Using a series of efficient methods developed in our laboratory for the production of multiplexed tetraSTRs in other species, we identified a set of tetra- and pentaSTRs that we developed into a 17-plex panel for the horse, plus a sex-identifying marker near the amelogenin gene. These markers were tested in 128 horses representing 16 breeds as well as crossbred horses, and we found that these markers have useful genetic variability. Average observed heterozygosities (Ho) ranged from 0.53 to 0.89 for the individual markers (0.66 average Ho for all markers), and 0.62-0.82 for expected heterozygosity (He) within breeds (0.72 average He for all markers). The probability of identity (PI) within breeds for which 10 or more samples were available was at least 1.1 x 10−11, and the PI among siblings (PIsib) was 1.5 x 10−5. Stutter was ≤ 11% (average stutter for all markers combined was 6.9%) compared to the more than 30% typically seen with diSTRs. We predict that it will be possible to develop accurate allelic ladders for this multiplex panel that will make cross-laboratory comparisons easier and will also improve DNA profiling accuracy. Although we were only able to exclude candidate genes for Friesian horse megaesophagus with no unexcluded genes that are possibly causative at this point in time, the study helped us to refine the methods used to develop better tetraSTR multiplexed panels for species such as the horse that have a low frequency of tetraSTRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Luttman
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Misa Komine
- Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Tuddow Thaiwong
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Tuddow Thaiwong
| | - Tyler Carpenter
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Susan L. Ewart
- Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Matti Kiupel
- Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Ingeborg M. Langohr
- Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Patrick J. Venta
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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8
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Genetic Variability Trend of Lusitano Horse Breed Reared in Italy. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12010098. [PMID: 35011204 PMCID: PMC8749805 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Lusitano Horse (LH) originates from Portugal, but is reared worldwide. Since 1994, the University of Milan has routinely tested the LHs bred in Italy for parentage control. This study aims to assess the genetic variability of the LH reared in Italy using 16 microsatellites markers. Moreover, the genetic variability changes over the years in the total population (n.384) and in unrelated horses (n.47) were evaluated. Horses were grouped according to their date of birth (1975–1990, 1991–2000, 2001–2010, 2010–2019). Standard genetic diversity parameters, including observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE; P-Val), allelic richness, and inbreeding coefficient (Fis) were estimated. In the whole period, the total population showed Ho as high as 0.69, low Fis (0.057), and imbalance for HWE. When considering the unrelated horses, Ho was seen to increase over time (from 0.594 in 1975–1990 to 0.68 in 2010–2019) and frequencies were in HWE, again having low and decreasing values of Fis (from 0.208 in 1975–1990 to 0.019 in 2010–2019). Bottleneck analysis excluded a recent population decline. Principal Coordinate Analysis at the individual level defined two clusters, the major cluster including all the most recent horses. An increasing number of dams (156% more from 2001–2010 to 2011–2019) supports the good variability recorded in the population so far. However, the high number of foals (77.2%) sired by only four stallions in recent years suggests caution in the choice of the sires for the future.
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Hisey EA, Hermans H, Lounsberry ZT, Avila F, Grahn RA, Knickelbein KE, Duward-Akhurst SA, McCue ME, Kalbfleisch TS, Lassaline ME, Back W, Bellone RR. Whole genome sequencing identified a 16 kilobase deletion on ECA13 associated with distichiasis in Friesian horses. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:848. [PMID: 33256610 PMCID: PMC7706231 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07265-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Distichiasis, an ocular disorder in which aberrant cilia (eyelashes) grow from the opening of the Meibomian glands of the eyelid, has been reported in Friesian horses. These misplaced cilia can cause discomfort, chronic keratitis, and corneal ulceration, potentially impacting vision due to corneal fibrosis, or, if secondary infection occurs, may lead to loss of the eye. Friesian horses represent the vast majority of reported cases of equine distichiasis, and as the breed is known to be affected with inherited monogenic disorders, this condition was hypothesized to be a simply inherited Mendelian trait. RESULTS A genome wide association study (GWAS) was performed using the Axiom 670 k Equine Genotyping array (MNEc670k) utilizing 14 cases and 38 controls phenotyped for distichiasis. An additive single locus mixed linear model (EMMAX) approach identified a 1.83 Mb locus on ECA5 and a 1.34 Mb locus on ECA13 that reached genome-wide significance (pcorrected = 0.016 and 0.032, respectively). Only the locus on ECA13 withstood replication testing (p = 1.6 × 10- 5, cases: n = 5 and controls: n = 37). A 371 kb run of homozygosity (ROH) on ECA13 was found in 13 of the 14 cases, providing evidence for a recessive mode of inheritance. Haplotype analysis (hapQTL) narrowed the region of association on ECA13 to 163 kb. Whole-genome sequencing data from 3 cases and 2 controls identified a 16 kb deletion within the ECA13 associated haplotype (ECA13:g.178714_195130del). Functional annotation data supports a tissue-specific regulatory role of this locus. This deletion was associated with distichiasis, as 18 of the 19 cases were homozygous (p = 4.8 × 10- 13). Genotyping the deletion in 955 horses from 54 different breeds identified the deletion in only 11 non-Friesians, all of which were carriers, suggesting that this could be causal for this Friesian disorder. CONCLUSIONS This study identified a 16 kb deletion on ECA13 in an intergenic region that was associated with distichiasis in Friesian horses. Further functional analysis in relevant tissues from cases and controls will help to clarify the precise role of this deletion in normal and abnormal eyelash development and investigate the hypothesis of incomplete penetrance.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Hisey
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - H Hermans
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112-114, NL-3584, CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Z T Lounsberry
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - F Avila
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - R A Grahn
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - K E Knickelbein
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - S A Duward-Akhurst
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - M E McCue
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - T S Kalbfleisch
- Department of Veterinary Science, Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - M E Lassaline
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - W Back
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112-114, NL-3584, CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia of Domestic Animals, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - R R Bellone
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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10
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Funk SM, Guedaoura S, Juras R, Raziq A, Landolsi F, Luís C, Martínez AM, Musa Mayaki A, Mujica F, Oom MDM, Ouragh L, Stranger Y, Vega‐Pla JL, Cothran EG. Major inconsistencies of inferred population genetic structure estimated in a large set of domestic horse breeds using microsatellites. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4261-4279. [PMID: 32489595 PMCID: PMC7246218 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
STRUCTURE remains the most applied software aimed at recovering the true, but unknown, population structure from microsatellite or other genetic markers. About 30% of structure-based studies could not be reproduced (Molecular Ecology, 21, 2012, 4925). Here we use a large set of data from 2,323 horses from 93 domestic breeds plus the Przewalski horse, typed at 15 microsatellites, to evaluate how program settings impact the estimation of the optimal number of population clusters K opt that best describe the observed data. Domestic horses are suited as a test case as there is extensive background knowledge on the history of many breeds and extensive phylogenetic analyses. Different methods based on different genetic assumptions and statistical procedures (dapc, flock, PCoA, and structure with different run scenarios) all revealed general, broad-scale breed relationships that largely reflect known breed histories but diverged how they characterized small-scale patterns. structure failed to consistently identify K opt using the most widespread approach, the ΔK method, despite very large numbers of MCMC iterations (3,000,000) and replicates (100). The interpretation of breed structure over increasing numbers of K, without assuming a K opt, was consistent with known breed histories. The over-reliance on K opt should be replaced by a qualitative description of clustering over increasing K, which is scientifically more honest and has the advantage of being much faster and less computer intensive as lower numbers of MCMC iterations and repetitions suffice for stable results. Very large data sets are highly challenging for cluster analyses, especially when populations with complex genetic histories are investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Michael Funk
- Centro de Excelencia de Modelación y Computación CientíficaUniversidad de La FronteraTemucoChile
- Nature HeritageSt. LawrenceUK
| | - Sonya Guedaoura
- Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la VieUniversité d'El‐TarfEl‐TarfAlgeria
- Faculté de PharmacieUniversité LavalQuébec CityQCCanada
| | - Rytis Juras
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical ScienceTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
| | - Absul Raziq
- Society of Veterinary, Environment and Agriculture Scientists (SAVES)QuettaPakistan
| | | | - Cristina Luís
- Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia (CIUHCT)Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | | | - Fernando Mujica
- Instituto de Producción AnimalUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Maria do Mar Oom
- CE3C – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental ChangesFaculdade de CiênciasUniversidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | | | - Jose Luis Vega‐Pla
- Laboratorio de Investigación AplicadaCrıa Caballar de las Fuerzas ArmadasCordobaSpain
| | - Ernest Gus Cothran
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical ScienceTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTXUSA
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11
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Nuñez CMV, Rubenstein DI. Communication is key: Mother-offspring signaling can affect behavioral responses and offspring survival in feral horses (Equus caballus). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231343. [PMID: 32302348 PMCID: PMC7164835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic signaling plays an important role in mother-offspring recognition and subsequent bond-formation. It remains unclear, however, if mothers and offspring use acoustic signaling in the same ways and for the same reasons throughout the juvenile stage, particularly after mutual recognition has been adequately established. Moreover, despite its critical role in mother-offspring bond formation, research explicitly linking mother-infant communication strategies to offspring survival are lacking. We examined the communicative patterns of mothers and offspring in the feral horse (Equus caballus) to better understand 1) the nature of mother-offspring communication throughout the first year of development; 2) the function(s) of mother- vs. offspring-initiated communication and; 3) the importance of mare and foal communication to offspring survival. We found that 1) mares and foals differ in when and how they initiate communication; 2) the outcomes of mare- vs. foal-initiated communication events consistently differ; and 3) the communicative patterns between mares and their foals can be important for offspring survival to one year of age. Moreover, given the importance of maternal activity to offspring behavior and subsequent survival, we submit that our data are uniquely positioned to address the long-debated question: do the behaviors exhibited during the juvenile stage (by both mothers and their young) confer delayed or immediate benefits to offspring? In summary, we aimed to better understand 1) the dynamics of mother-offspring communication, 2) whether mother-offspring communicative patterns were important to offspring survival, and 3) the implications of our research regarding the function of the mammalian juvenile stage. Our results demonstrate that we have achieved those aims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M. V. Nuñez
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Daniel I. Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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12
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Ovchinnikov IV, Dahms T, Herauf B, McCann B, Juras R, Castaneda C, Cothran EG. Genetic diversity and origin of the feral horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200795. [PMID: 30067807 PMCID: PMC6070244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Feral horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) represent an iconic era of the North Dakota Badlands. Their uncertain history raises management questions regarding origins, genetic diversity, and long-term genetic viability. Hair samples with follicles were collected from 196 horses in the Park and used to sequence the control region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and to profile 12 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) markers. Three mtDNA haplotypes found in the TRNP horses belonged to haplogroups L and B. The control region variation was low with haplotype diversity of 0.5271, nucleotide diversity of 0.0077 and mean pairwise difference of 2.93. We sequenced one mitochondrial genome from each haplotype determined by the control region. Two complete mtDNA sequences of haplogroup L were closely related to the mtDNA of American Paint horse. The TRNP haplotype B did not have close matches in GenBank. The phylogenetic test placed this sequence in a group consisting of two horses from China, one from Yakutia, and one from Italy raising a possibility of historical transportation of horses from Siberia and East Asia to North America. Autosomal STR loci were polymorphic and indicated that the TRNP horses were distinctly different from 48 major horse breeds. Heterozygosity, mean number of alleles, and other measures of diversity indicated that TRNP herd diversity was below that observed for most other feral herds and domestic breeds. Both mtDNA and STRs demonstrated that the existing genetic data sets of horses are insufficient to determine the exact origins of the TRNP horses. However, measures of nuclear and mitochondrial diversity have elucidated management needs. It is recommended that new genetic stock be introduced and that adaptive management principles are employed to ensure that unique mitochondrial lineages are preserved and genetic diversity is increased and maintained over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor V. Ovchinnikov
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States of America
- Forensic Science Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Taryn Dahms
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States of America
| | - Billie Herauf
- Department of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States of America
| | - Blake McCann
- Resource Management, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Medora, North Dakota, United States of America
| | - Rytis Juras
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bioscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Caitlin Castaneda
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bioscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - E. Gus Cothran
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bioscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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13
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Głażewska I, Gralak B, Naczk AM, Prusak B. Genetic diversity and population structure of Polish Arabian horses assessed through breeding and microsatellite data. Anim Sci J 2018; 89:735-742. [PMID: 29392792 DOI: 10.1111/asj.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Polish Arabian horses are one of the most important populations of this breed in the world. Their post-war history can be divided into two periods, with the dominant role of state studs until 1989, and the increasing significance of private breeding in the next years. The goal of the study was to evaluate genetic diversity and structure of the population under a new breeding policy. The analyses of breeding and microsatellite data from 1996 to 2012 provide a coherent picture of the population with constant flow of horses only in one direction from state to private studs. An increase in the number of broodmares was observed, from 396 mares in 1996 to 1021 mares in 2012. The proportion of foreign sires used in Polish studs also increased, from 7.1% to 37.0%. An increasing number of alleles and progressive differentiation in mares were observed. STRUCTURE analysis indicated that the Polish horses were clearly separated from foreign horses used in Polish breeding, although only one of the 75 alleles found can be considered as typically Polish. The high heterozygosity is an important feature of the Polish population; however, the decrease of heterozygosity in state broodmares was noted. This issue needs to be studied further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Głażewska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Barbara Gralak
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding PAS, Jastrzębiec, Poland
| | - Aleksandra M Naczk
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Beata Prusak
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding PAS, Jastrzębiec, Poland
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14
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Vázquez-Armijo JF, Parra-Bracamonte GM, Velazquez MA, Sifuentes-Rincón AM, Tinoco-Jaramillo JL, Ambriz-Morales P, Arellano-Vera W, Moreno-Medina VR. Diversity and effective population size of four horse breeds from microsatellite DNA markers in South-Central Mexico. Arch Anim Breed 2017. [DOI: 10.5194/aab-60-137-2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract. The South-Central region of Mexico has experienced a sizeable introduction of purebred horses for recreational aims. A study was designed to assess effective population sizes and genetic diversity and to verify the genetic integrity of four horse breeds. Using a 12-microsatellite panel, Quarter Horse, Azteca, Thoroughbred and Creole (CRL) horses were sampled and analysed for diversity and genetic structure. Genetic diversity parameters showed high numbers of heterozygous horses but small effective population sizes in all breeds. Population structure results suggested some degree of admixture of CRL with the other reference breeds. The highly informative microsatellite panel allowed the verification of diversity in introduced horse populations and the confirmation of small effective population sizes, which suggests a risk for future breed integrity.
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15
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Nuñez CMV, Adelman JS, Carr HA, Alvarez CM, Rubenstein DI. Lingering effects of contraception management on feral mare ( Equus caballus) fertility and social behavior. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox018. [PMID: 29977561 PMCID: PMC6007543 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Due to the extirpation of their natural predators, feral horse populations have expanded across the United States, necessitating their management. Contraception of females (mares) with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) is a popular option; however, effects to physiology and behavior can be substantial. On Shackleford Banks, North Carolina, USA, treated mares have exhibited cycling during the non-breeding season and demonstrated decreased fidelity to the band stallion, but PZP's long-term effects on mare physiology and behavior remain largely unexplored. After the contraception program was suspended in this population, we examined how prior exposure to varying levels of PZP treatment impacted (1) foaling probability and foaling dates (a proxy for ovulatory cycling) from 2009 to 2014 and (2) mare fidelity to the band stallion and reproductive behavior during 2013 and 2015. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of time since the mares' last treatment on these factors. Mares receiving any level of prior PZP treatment were less likely to foal than were untreated mares. Among mares that received 1-3 PZP applications, foaling probability increased with time since last treatment before declining, at ~6 years post-treatment. Mares that received 4+ applications did not exhibit a significant increase in foaling probability with time since last treatment. Moreover, previously treated mares continued to conceive later than did untreated mares. Finally, mares previously receiving 4+ treatments changed groups more often than did untreated mares, though reproductive behavior did not differ with contraception history. Our results suggest that although PZP-induced subfertility and its associated behavioral effects can persist after the cessation of treatment, these effects can be ameliorated for some factors with less intense treatment. Careful consideration to the frequency of PZP treatment is important to maintaining more naturally functioning populations; the ability to manage populations adaptively may be compromised if females are kept subfertile for extended periods of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M V Nuñez
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - James S Adelman
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Haley A Carr
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Colleen M Alvarez
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Daniel I Rubenstein
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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16
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Cortés O, Dunner S, Gama LT, Martínez AM, Delgado JV, Ginja C, Jiménez LM, Jordana J, Luis C, Oom MM, Sponenberg DP, Zaragoza P, Vega-Pla JL. The legacy of Columbus in American horse populations assessed by microsatellite markers. J Anim Breed Genet 2017; 134:340-350. [PMID: 28194814 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Criollo horse populations descend from horses brought from the Iberian Peninsula over the period of colonization (15th to 17th century). They are spread throughout the Americas and have potentially undergone genetic hybridization with other breeds in the recent past. In this study, 25 autosomal microsatellites were genotyped in 50 horse breeds representing Criollo populations from 12 American countries (27 breeds), breeds from the Iberian Peninsula (19), one breed each from France and Morocco and two cosmopolitan horse breeds (Thoroughbred and Arabian). The genetic relationships among breeds identified five clusters: Celtic; Iberian; North American with Thoroughbred influence; most Colombian breeds; and nearly all other Criollo breeds. The group of "all other Criollo breeds" had the closest genetic relationship with breeds originating from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically with the Celtic group. For the whole set of Criollo breeds analysed, the estimated genetic contribution from other breeds was approximately 50%, 30% and 20% for the Celtic, Iberian and Arab-Thoroughbred groups, respectively. The spatial distribution of genetic diversity indicates that hotspots of genetic diversity are observed in populations from Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay and western United States, possibly indicating points of arrival and dispersion of Criollo horses in the American continent. These results indicate that Criollo breeds share a common ancestry, but that each breed has its own identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Cortés
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Dunner
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - L T Gama
- CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - A M Martínez
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - J V Delgado
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - C Ginja
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO-InBIO), Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - L M Jiménez
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Bogotá, Bogota, Columbia
| | - J Jordana
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal y de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - C Luis
- Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia (CIUHCT), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência (MUHNAC), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,CIES-UL, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M M Oom
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - D P Sponenberg
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - P Zaragoza
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - J L Vega-Pla
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada, Crıa Caballar de las Fuerzas Armadas, Cordoba, Spain
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17
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Pablo Gómez M, Landi V, Martínez AM, Gómez Carpio M, Nogales Baena S, Delgado Bermejo JV, Oom MDM, Luis C, Ouragh L, Vega-Pla JL. Genetic diversity of the semi-feral Marismeño horse breed assessed with microsatellites. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2016.1241132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vincenzo Landi
- Departamento de Genética, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - María do Mar Oom
- Centro de Biologia Ambiental, University of Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cristina Luis
- Centro Interuniversitário de História das Ciências e da Tecnologia, University of Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, University of Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - José Luis Vega-Pla
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada, Ministerio de Defensa, Cordoba, Spain
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18
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Khanshour A, Juras R, Blackburn R, Cothran EG. The legend of the Canadian horse: genetic diversity and breed origin. J Hered 2015; 106:37-44. [PMID: 25416795 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esu074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Canadian breed of horse invokes a fascinating chapter of North American history and as such it is now a heritage breed and the national horse of Canada. The aims of this study were to determine the level of genetic diversity in the Canadian, investigate the possible foundation breeds and the role it had in the development of the US horse breeds, such as Morgan Horse. We tested a total of 981 horses by using 15 microsatellite markers. We found that Canadian horses have high values of genetic diversity indices and show no evidence of a serious loss of genetic diversity and the inbreeding coefficient was not significantly different from zero. Belgian, Percheron, Breton and Dales Pony, unlike the light French horses, may have common ancestries with the Canadian and could be important founders. However, the Shire and Clydesdale influenced the Canadian to a lesser extent than French and Belgian draft breeds. Furthermore, our finding indicated that there was no evidence of a clear relationship between Canadian and Oriental or Iberian breeds. Also, the Canadian likely contributed to the early development of the Morgan. Finally, these findings support the ancient legends of the Canadian Horse as North America’s first equine breed and the foundation bloodstock to many American breeds and may help in the management and breeding program of this outstanding breed in North America.
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19
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Nunez CMV, Adelman JS, Rubenstein DI. Sociality increases juvenile survival after a catastrophic event in the feral horse (Equus caballus). Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Nuñez CMV, Adelman JS, Rubenstein DI. A Free-Ranging, Feral MareEquus caballusAffords Similar Maternal Care to Her Genetic and Adopted Offspring. Am Nat 2013; 182:674-81. [DOI: 10.1086/673214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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21
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Khanshour A, Conant E, Juras R, Cothran EG. Microsatellite Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Arabian Horse Populations. J Hered 2013; 104:386-98. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/est003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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22
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Petersen JL, Mickelson JR, Cothran EG, Andersson LS, Axelsson J, Bailey E, Bannasch D, Binns MM, Borges AS, Brama P, da Câmara Machado A, Distl O, Felicetti M, Fox-Clipsham L, Graves KT, Guérin G, Haase B, Hasegawa T, Hemmann K, Hill EW, Leeb T, Lindgren G, Lohi H, Lopes MS, McGivney BA, Mikko S, Orr N, Penedo MCT, Piercy RJ, Raekallio M, Rieder S, Røed KH, Silvestrelli M, Swinburne J, Tozaki T, Vaudin M, M Wade C, McCue ME. Genetic diversity in the modern horse illustrated from genome-wide SNP data. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54997. [PMID: 23383025 PMCID: PMC3559798 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Horses were domesticated from the Eurasian steppes 5,000-6,000 years ago. Since then, the use of horses for transportation, warfare, and agriculture, as well as selection for desired traits and fitness, has resulted in diverse populations distributed across the world, many of which have become or are in the process of becoming formally organized into closed, breeding populations (breeds). This report describes the use of a genome-wide set of autosomal SNPs and 814 horses from 36 breeds to provide the first detailed description of equine breed diversity. F(ST) calculations, parsimony, and distance analysis demonstrated relationships among the breeds that largely reflect geographic origins and known breed histories. Low levels of population divergence were observed between breeds that are relatively early on in the process of breed development, and between those with high levels of within-breed diversity, whether due to large population size, ongoing outcrossing, or large within-breed phenotypic diversity. Populations with low within-breed diversity included those which have experienced population bottlenecks, have been under intense selective pressure, or are closed populations with long breed histories. These results provide new insights into the relationships among and the diversity within breeds of horses. In addition these results will facilitate future genome-wide association studies and investigations into genomic targets of selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Petersen
- University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine, St Paul, MN, USA.
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Khanshour AM, Juras R, Cothran EG. Microsatellite analysis of genetic variability in Waler horses from Australia. AUST J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1071/zo13062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The Waler horse breed is an integral part of Australian history. The purposes of this study were to analyse the genetic variability in Waler horses from Australia and to investigate genetic relationships with other horse breeds. We examined the genetic diversity of 70 Waler horses sampled from seven breeding stations in Australia. Also we analysed the relationships of these horses with 11 other horse breeds. Analysis of the genetic structure was carried out using 15 microsatellite loci, genetic distances, AMOVA, factorial correspondence analysis and a Bayesian method. We found that the genetic diversity in the Waler was greater than the domestic horse mean and exceeded that of all endangered horse breeds. Our findings also revealed moderate population subdivision rather than inbreeding. All genetic similarity measures indicated that the Thoroughbred might be a key ancestor to the Waler. This study indicates that there is no immediate concern for loss of variation in Waler horses. Also, there clearly has been a strong input from the Thoroughbred into the Waler horse breed. However, the genetic evidence suggests that this input was not just direct but also came through other types of horses with a Thoroughbred cross background.
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