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Reich P, Möller S, Stock KF, Nolte W, von Depka Prondzinski M, Reents R, Kalm E, Kühn C, Thaller G, Falker-Gieske C, Tetens J. Genomic analyses of withers height and linear conformation traits in German Warmblood horses using imputed sequence-level genotypes. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:45. [PMID: 38872118 PMCID: PMC11177368 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-024-00914-6] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Body conformation, including withers height, is a major selection criterion in horse breeding and is associated with other important traits, such as health and performance. However, little is known about the genomic background of equine conformation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use imputed sequence-level genotypes from up to 4891 German Warmblood horses to identify genomic regions associated with withers height and linear conformation traits. Furthermore, the traits were genetically characterised and putative causal variants for withers height were detected. RESULTS A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for withers height confirmed the presence of a previously known quantitative trait locus (QTL) on Equus caballus (ECA) chromosome 3 close to the LCORL/NCAPG locus, which explained 16% of the phenotypic variance for withers height. An additional significant association signal was detected on ECA1. Further investigations of the region on ECA3 identified a few promising candidate causal variants for withers height, including a nonsense mutation in the coding sequence of the LCORL gene. The estimated heritability for withers height was 0.53 and ranged from 0 to 0.34 for the conformation traits. GWAS identified significantly associated variants for more than half of the investigated conformation traits, among which 13 showed a peak on ECA3 in the same region as withers height. Genetic parameter estimation revealed high genetic correlations between these traits and withers height for the QTL on ECA3. CONCLUSIONS The use of imputed sequence-level genotypes from a large study cohort led to the discovery of novel QTL associated with conformation traits in German Warmblood horses. The results indicate the high relevance of the QTL on ECA3 for various conformation traits, including withers height, and contribute to deciphering causal mutations for body size in horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Reich
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Sandra Möller
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kathrin F Stock
- IT Solutions for Animal Production (vit), 27283, Verden, Germany
| | - Wietje Nolte
- Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology, 01468, Moritzburg, Germany
| | | | - Reinhard Reents
- IT Solutions for Animal Production (vit), 27283, Verden, Germany
| | - Ernst Kalm
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Kiel University, 24098, Kiel, Germany
| | - Christa Kühn
- Institute of Genome Biology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059, Rostock, Germany
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, 17493, Greifswald - Riems Island, Germany
| | - Georg Thaller
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Kiel University, 24098, Kiel, Germany
| | - Clemens Falker-Gieske
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens Tetens
- Department of Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
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Majeres LE, Dilger AC, Shike DW, McCann JC, Beever JE. Defining a Haplotype Encompassing the LCORL-NCAPG Locus Associated with Increased Lean Growth in Beef Cattle. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:576. [PMID: 38790206 PMCID: PMC11121065 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown genetic variation at the LCORL-NCAPG locus is strongly associated with growth traits in beef cattle. However, a causative molecular variant has yet to be identified. To define all possible candidate variants, 34 Charolais-sired calves were whole-genome sequenced, including 17 homozygous for a long-range haplotype associated with increased growth (QQ) and 17 homozygous for potential ancestral haplotypes for this region (qq). The Q haplotype was refined to an 814 kb region between chr6:37,199,897-38,014,080 and contained 218 variants not found in qq individuals. These variants include an insertion in an intron of NCAPG, a previously documented mutation in NCAPG (rs109570900), two coding sequence mutations in LCORL (rs109696064 and rs384548488), and 15 variants located within ATAC peaks that were predicted to affect transcription factor binding. Notably, rs384548488 is a frameshift variant likely resulting in loss of function for long isoforms of LCORL. To test the association of the coding sequence variants of LCORL with phenotype, 405 cattle from five populations were genotyped. The two variants were in complete linkage disequilibrium. Statistical analysis of the three populations that contained QQ animals revealed significant (p < 0.05) associations with genotype and birth weight, live weight, carcass weight, hip height, and average daily gain. These findings affirm the link between this locus and growth in beef cattle and describe DNA variants that define the haplotype. However, further studies will be required to define the true causative mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leif E. Majeres
- UTIA Genomics Center for the Advancement of Agriculture, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA;
| | - Anna C. Dilger
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (A.C.D.); (D.W.S.); (J.C.M.)
| | - Daniel W. Shike
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (A.C.D.); (D.W.S.); (J.C.M.)
| | - Joshua C. McCann
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (A.C.D.); (D.W.S.); (J.C.M.)
| | - Jonathan E. Beever
- UTIA Genomics Center for the Advancement of Agriculture, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA;
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Alhaddad H, Powell BB, Pinto LD, Sutter N, Brooks SA, Alhajeri BH. Geometric morphometrics of face profile across horse breeds and within Arabian horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 132:104980. [PMID: 38070586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104980] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Horse traits under selection are largely quantitative and affected by multiple genes. Horse face shape is an example of a continuous trait, which due to the reliance on observational assessments, is classified into; "dished", "straight", and "roman-nosed". This categorization is often inadequate to convey the full spectrum of the face shape variation especially for genetic studies. The first objective of the current study was to use geometric morphometric methods to quantitatively phenotype face shapes and examine its variation across horse breeds. The second objective was to analyze the face shape variation within Arabian horses since face shape is (1) favored, valued, and genetically selected in certain lineages (e.g. Egyptian), (2) is evaluated by registries and scored in shows, and (3) in its extreme forms pose health concerns. We digitized landmarks on lateral profile photos, particularly on the dorsal curvature of the rostrum, and subjected these landmarks to Generalized Procrustes Analysis to generate independent shape and size variables which were statistically compared across breeds and within Arabians. Horse breeds varied in nasal curvature, ranging from extremely concave to extremely convex, with over 70 % of horse breeds exhibiting intermediate concavity (i.e., straight profile). Interestingly, Arabian horses possessed the highest diversity in face profile and individuals clustered into three distinct shape sub-groups (one dished and two straight profile clusters). Our quantitative phenotyping method can be the basis of future genetic studies of facial profile within Arabian lineages as a favored traits and potentially manage its extreme forms as a likely genetic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Alhaddad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, Shadadiya, Kuwait.
| | - B B Powell
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - L Del Pinto
- Biology Department, La Sierra University, Riverside, California, USA
| | - N Sutter
- Biology Department, La Sierra University, Riverside, California, USA
| | - S A Brooks
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - B H Alhajeri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, Shadadiya, Kuwait
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Li C, Li J, Wang H, Zhang R, An X, Yuan C, Guo T, Yue Y. Genomic Selection for Live Weight in the 14th Month in Alpine Merino Sheep Combining GWAS Information. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3516. [PMID: 38003134 PMCID: PMC10668700 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpine Merino Sheep is a novel breed reared from Australian Merino Sheep as the father and Gansu Alpine Fine-Wool Sheep as the mother, living all year in cold and arid alpine areas with exceptional wool quality and meat performance. Body weight is an important economic trait of the Alpine Merino Sheep, but there is limited research on identifying the genes associated with live weight in the 14th month for improving the accuracy of the genomic prediction of this trait. Therefore, this study's sample comprised 1310 Alpine Merino Sheep ewes, and the Fine Wool Sheep 50K Panel was used for genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis to identify candidate genes. Moreover, the trial population (1310 ewes) in this study was randomly divided into two groups. One group was used as the population for GWAS analysis and screened for the most significant top 5%, top 10%, top 15%, and top 20% SNPs to obtain prior marker information. The other group was used to estimate the genetic parameters based on the weight assigned by heritability combined with different prior marker information. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of genomic breeding value estimation when combined with prior marker information from GWAS analysis with the optimal linear unbiased prediction method for genome selection (GBLUP) for the breeding value of target traits. Finally, the accuracy was evaluated using the five-fold cross-validation method. This research provides theoretical and technical support to improve the accuracy of sheep genome selection and better guide breeding. The results demonstrated that eight candidate genes were associated with GWAS analysis, and the gene function query and literature search results suggested that FAM184B, NCAPG, MACF1, ANKRD44, DCAF16, FUK, LCORL, and SYN3 were candidate genes affecting live weight in the 14th month (WT), which regulated the growth of muscle and bone in sheep. In genome selection analysis, the heritability of GBLUP to calculate the WT was 0.335-0.374, the accuracy after five-fold cross-verification was 0.154-0.190, and after assigning different weights to the top 5%, top 10%, top 15%, and top 20% of the GWAS results in accordance with previous information to construct the G matrix, the accuracy of the WT in the GBLUP model was improved by 2.59-7.79%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglan Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Jianye Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Haifeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Xuejiao An
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Chao Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yaojing Yue
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (C.L.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
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Batcher K, Varney S, Raudsepp T, Jevit M, Dickinson P, Jagannathan V, Leeb T, Bannasch D. Ancient segmentally duplicated LCORL retrocopies in equids. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286861. [PMID: 37289743 PMCID: PMC10249811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
LINE-1 is an active transposable element encoding proteins capable of inserting host gene retrocopies, resulting in retro-copy number variants (retroCNVs) between individuals. Here, we performed retroCNV discovery using 86 equids and identified 437 retrocopy insertions. Only 5 retroCNVs were shared between horses and other equids, indicating that the majority of retroCNVs inserted after the species diverged. A large number (17-35 copies) of segmentally duplicated Ligand Dependent Nuclear Receptor Corepressor Like (LCORL) retrocopies were present in all equids but absent from other extant perissodactyls. The majority of LCORL transcripts in horses and donkeys originate from the retrocopies. The initial LCORL retrotransposition occurred 18 million years ago (17-19 95% CI), which is coincident with the increase in body size, reduction in digit number, and changes in dentition that characterized equid evolution. Evolutionary conservation of the LCORL retrocopy segmental amplification in the Equidae family, high expression levels and the ancient timeline for LCORL retrotransposition support a functional role for this structural variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Batcher
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Scarlett Varney
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Terje Raudsepp
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Matthew Jevit
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter Dickinson
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Danika Bannasch
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America
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Nogueira WA, Ferreira Padilha FG, Angelo Luiz M, da Silva Salomão N, Monteiro Fonseca AB, Reis Ferreira AM. EFFECT OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN HEMOGASOMETRIC AND ELECTROLYTIC PROFILES OF YOUNG MANGALARGA MARCHADOR HORSES BEGINNING TRAINING FOR GAIT COMPETITIONS. J Equine Vet Sci 2023:104823. [PMID: 37230434 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104823] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to analyze effect of physical exercise in hemogasometric and electrolytic profiles of young Mangalarga Marchador horses beginning training for gait competitions. Six Mangalarga Marchador gaited horses with 6 months of training were evaluated. The ages ranged from three and a half to five years and included four stallions and two mares, with mean (±S.D.) body weight of 435±30Kg. Venous blood samples were collected from the horses, rectal temperature and HR were measured before and immediately after the gait test, and blood samples were used for hemogasometric and laboratory analyses. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used in the statistical analysis, assigning statistical significance for values of (p≤0.05). Physical effort significantly affected HR (p≤0.027), temperature (T) (p≤0.028), oxygen pressure (pO2) (p≤0.027), oxygen saturation (sO2) (p≤0.046), calcium (Ca2+) (p≤0.046), and glucose levels (GLI) (p≤0.028). The heart rate, temperature, and pO2, sO2, Ca2+, and glucose levels were affected by exercise. There was no considerable dehydration in these horses, making it clear that, at this level of effort, they did not enter a state of, indicating that the animals, even young horses, were well conditioned to the submaximal effort required in gaiting tests. The horses showed good adaptation to exercise and did not enter a state of fatigue with the effort made, indicating that the animals in this study received adequate training and could perform the type of exercise proposed, characterized by a submaximal effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willian Augusto Nogueira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) - Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói - RJ, Brazil, CEP: 24230-340
| | - Felipe Gomes Ferreira Padilha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) - Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói - RJ, Brazil, CEP: 24230-340..
| | - Michele Angelo Luiz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) - Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói - RJ, Brazil, CEP: 24230-340
| | - Nielly da Silva Salomão
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) - Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói - RJ, Brazil, CEP: 24230-340
| | - Ana Beatriz Monteiro Fonseca
- Instituto de Matemática e Estatística, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Mario Santos Braga s/n, Centro, CEP: 24020-140, Niterói, RJ, Brasil
| | - Ana Maria Reis Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) - Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói - RJ, Brazil, CEP: 24230-340.; Departamento de Patologia e Clínica Veterinária (MCV), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) - Rua Vital Brasil Filho, 64 - Vital Brasil, Niterói - RJ, Brazil, CEP: 24230-340
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Salek Ardestani S, Zandi MB, Vahedi SM, Janssens S. Population structure and genomic footprints of selection in five major Iranian horse breeds. Anim Genet 2022; 53:627-639. [PMID: 35919961 DOI: 10.1111/age.13243] [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: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The genetic structure and characteristics of Iranian native breeds are yet to be comprehensibly investigated and studied. Therefore, we employed genomic information of 364 Iranian native horses representing the Asil (n = 109), Caspian (n = 40), Dareshuri (n = 44), Kurdish (n = 95), and Turkoman (n = 76) breeds to reveal the genetic structure and characteristics. For these and 19 other horse breeds, principal component analysis, Bayesian model-based, Neighbor-Net, and bootstrap-based TreeMix approaches were applied to investigate and compare their genetic structure. Additionally, three haplotype-based methods including haplotype homozygosity pooled, integrated haplotype score, and number of segregating sites by length were applied to trace genomic footprints of selection of Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman groups. Then, the Mahalanobis distance based on the negative-log10 rank-based P-values was estimated based on the haplotype homozygosity pooled, integrated haplotype score, and number of segregating sites by length values. Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman can be categorized into five different genetic clusters. Based on the top 1% of Mahalanobis distance based on the negative-log10 rank-based P-values of SNPs, we identified 24 SNPs formerly reported to be associated with different traits and >100 genes undergoing selection pressures in Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman. The detected QTL undergoing selection pressures were associated with withers height, equine metabolic syndrome, overall body size, insect bite hypersensitivity, guttural pouch tympany, white markings, Rhodococcus equi infection, jumping test score, alternate gaits, and body weight traits. Our findings will aid to have a better perspective of the genetic characteristics and population structure of Asil, Caspian, Dareshuri, Kurdish, and Turkoman horses as Iranian native horse breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Seyed Milad Vahedi
- Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Steven Janssens
- Department Biosystems, Center Animal Breeding and Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Finno CJ. Science-in-brief: Genomic and transcriptomic approaches to the investigation of equine diseases. Equine Vet J 2022; 54:444-448. [PMID: 35133024 PMCID: PMC9095347 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie J Finno
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Lyu G, Feng C, Zhu S, Ren S, Dang W, Irwin DM, Wang Z, Zhang S. Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals Signatures for Artificial Selection for Different Sizes in Japanese Primitive Dog Breeds. Front Genet 2021; 12:671686. [PMID: 34335687 PMCID: PMC8317602 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.671686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Body size is an important trait in companion animals. Recently, a primitive Japanese dog breed, the Shiba Inu, has experienced artificial selection for smaller body size, resulting in the "Mame Shiba Inu" breed. To identify loci and genes that might explain the difference in the body size of these Shiba Inu dogs, we applied whole genome sequencing of pooled samples (pool-seq) on both Shiba Inu and Mame Shiba Inu. We identified a total of 13,618,261 unique SNPs in the genomes of these two breeds of dog. Using selective sweep approaches, including F ST, H p and XP-CLR with sliding windows, we identified a total of 12 genomic windows that show signatures of selection that overlap with nine genes (PRDM16, ZNF382, ZNF461, ERGIC2, ENSCAFG00000033351, CCDC61, ALDH3A2, ENSCAFG00000011141, and ENSCAFG00000018533). These results provide candidate genes and specific sites that might be associated with body size in dogs. Some of these genes are associated with body size in other mammals, but 8 of the 9 genes are novel candidate genes that need further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangqi Lyu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chunyu Feng
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shiyu Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shuang Ren
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wanyi Dang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zhe Wang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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Salek Ardestani S, Aminafshar M, Zandi Baghche Maryam MB, Banabazi MH, Sargolzaei M, Miar Y. A genome-wide signatures of selection study of Welsh ponies and draft horses revealed five genes associated with horse type variation. GENE REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2020.100833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Asadollahpour Nanaei H, Esmailizadeh A, Ayatollahi Mehrgardi A, Han J, Wu DD, Li Y, Zhang YP. Comparative population genomic analysis uncovers novel genomic footprints and genes associated with small body size in Chinese pony. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:496. [PMID: 32689947 PMCID: PMC7370493 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06887-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Body size is considered as one of the most fundamental properties of an organism. Due to intensive breeding and artificial selection throughout the domestication history, horses exhibit striking variations for heights at withers and body sizes. Debao pony (DBP), a famous Chinese horse, is known for its small body size and lives in Guangxi mountains of southern China. In this study, we employed comparative population genomics to study the genetic basis underlying the small body size of DBP breed based on the whole genome sequencing data. To detect genomic signatures of positive selection, we applied three methods based on population comparison, fixation index (FST), cross population composite likelihood ratio (XP-CLR) and nucleotide diversity (θπ), and further analyzed the results to find genomic regions under selection for body size-related traits. Results A number of protein-coding genes in windows with the top 1% values of FST (367 genes), XP-CLR (681 genes), and log2 (θπ ratio) (332 genes) were identified. The most significant signal of positive selection was mapped to the NELL1 gene, probably underlies the body size and development traits, and may also have been selected for short stature in the DBP population. In addition, some other loci on different chromosomes were identified to be potentially involved in the development of body size. Conclusions Results of our study identified some positively selected genes across the horse genome, which are possibly involved in body size traits. These novel candidate genes may be useful targets for clarifying our understanding of the molecular basis of body size and as such they should be of great interest for future research into the genetic architecture of relevant traits in horse breeding program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hojjat Asadollahpour Nanaei
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, PB, 76169-133, Iran
| | - Ali Esmailizadeh
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, PB, 76169-133, Iran. .,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution and Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 32 Jiaochang Donglu, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Ahmad Ayatollahi Mehrgardi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, PB, 76169-133, Iran
| | - Jianlin Han
- CAAS-ILRI Joint Laboratory on Livestock and Forage Genetic Resources, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.,Livestock Genetics Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution and Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 32 Jiaochang Donglu, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
| | - Ya-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution and Yunnan Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Domestic Animals, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 32 Jiaochang Donglu, Kunming, Yunnan, China. .,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
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12
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Salek Ardestani S, Aminafshar M, Zandi Baghche Maryam MB, Banabazi MH, Sargolzaei M, Miar Y. Signatures of selection analysis using whole-genome sequence data reveals novel candidate genes for pony and light horse types. Genome 2020; 63:387-396. [PMID: 32407640 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2020-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Natural selection and domestication have shaped modern horse populations, resulting in a vast range of phenotypically diverse breeds. Horse breeds are classified into three types (pony, light, and draft) generally based on their body type. Understanding the genetic basis of horse type variation and selective pressures related to the evolutionary trend can be particularly important for current selection strategies. Whole-genome sequences were generated for 14 pony and 32 light horses to investigate the genetic signatures of selection of the horse type in pony and light horses. In the overlapping extremes of the fixation index and nucleotide diversity results, we found novel genomic signatures of selective sweeps near key genes previously implicated in body measurements including C4ORF33, CRB1, CPN1, FAM13A, and FGF12 that may influence variation in pony and light horse types. This study contributes to a better understanding of the genetic background of differences between pony and light horse types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siavash Salek Ardestani
- Department of Animal Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran
| | - Mehdi Aminafshar
- Department of Animal Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Hossein Banabazi
- Department of Biotechnology, Animal Science Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education & Extension Organization, Karaj 3146618361, Iran
| | - Mehdi Sargolzaei
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON NIG 2W1, Canada.,Select Sires Inc., Plain City, OH 43064, USA
| | - Younes Miar
- Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada
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13
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Cytogenetic Mapping of 35 New Markers in the Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos). Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11050522. [PMID: 32397072 PMCID: PMC7288448 DOI: 10.3390/genes11050522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpaca is a camelid species of broad economic, biological and biomedical interest, and an essential part of the cultural and historical heritage of Peru. Recently, efforts have been made to improve knowledge of the alpaca genome, and its genetics and cytogenetics, to develop molecular tools for selection and breeding. Here, we report cytogenetic mapping of 35 new markers to 19 alpaca autosomes and the X chromosome. Twenty-eight markers represent alpaca SNPs, of which 17 are located inside or near protein-coding genes, two are in ncRNA genes and nine are intergenic. The remaining seven markers correspond to candidate genes for fiber characteristics (BMP4, COL1A2, GLI1, SFRP4), coat color (TYR) and development (CHD7, PAX7). The results take the tally of cytogenetically mapped markers in alpaca to 281, covering all 36 autosomes and the sex chromosomes. The new map assignments overall agree with human–camelid conserved synteny data, except for mapping BMP4 to VPA3, suggesting a hitherto unknown homology with HSA14. The findings validate, refine and correct the current alpaca assembly VicPac3.1 by anchoring unassigned sequence scaffolds, and ordering and orienting assigned scaffolds. The study contributes to the improvement in the alpaca reference genome and advances camelid molecular cytogenetics.
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14
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Whole genome detection of sequence and structural polymorphism in six diverse horses. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230899. [PMID: 32271776 PMCID: PMC7144971 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The domesticated horse has played a unique role in human history, serving not just as a source of animal protein, but also as a catalyst for long-distance migration and military conquest. As a result, the horse developed unique physiological adaptations to meet the demands of both their climatic environment and their relationship with man. Completed in 2009, the first domesticated horse reference genome assembly (EquCab 2.0) produced most of the publicly available genetic variations annotations in this species. Yet, there are around 400 geographically and physiologically diverse breeds of horse. To enrich the current collection of genetic variants in the horse, we sequenced whole genomes from six horses of six different breeds: an American Miniature, a Percheron, an Arabian, a Mangalarga Marchador, a Native Mongolian Chakouyi, and a Tennessee Walking Horse, and mapped them to EquCab3.0 genome. Aside from extreme contrasts in body size, these breeds originate from diverse global locations and each possess unique adaptive physiology. A total of 1.3 billion reads were generated for the six horses with coverage between 15x to 24x per horse. After applying rigorous filtration, we identified and functionally annotated 17,514,723 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and 1,923,693 Insertions/Deletions (INDELs), as well as an average of 1,540 Copy Number Variations (CNVs) and 3,321 Structural Variations (SVs) per horse. Our results revealed putative functional variants including genes associated with size variation like LCORL gene (found in all horses), ZFAT in the Arabian, American Miniature and Percheron horses and ANKRD1 in the Native Mongolian Chakouyi horse. We detected a copy number variation in the Latherin gene that may be the result of evolutionary selection impacting thermoregulation by sweating, an important component of athleticism and heat tolerance. The newly discovered variants were formatted into user-friendly browser tracks and will provide a foundational database for future studies of the genetic underpinnings of diverse phenotypes within the horse. The domesticated horse played a unique role in human history, serving not just as a source of dietary animal protein, but also as a catalyst for long-distance migration and military conquest. As a result, the horse developed unique physiological adaptations to meet the demands of both their climatic environment and their relationship with man. Although the completion of the horse reference genome allowed for the discovery of many genetic variants, the remarkable diversity across breeds of horse calls for additional effort to quantify the complete span of genetic polymorphism within this unique species. In this work, we present genome re-sequencing and variant detection analysis for six horses belonging to six different breeds representing different morphology, origins and vary in their physiological demands and response. We identified and annotated not just single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), but also insertions and deletions (INDELs), copy number variations (CNVs) and structural variations (SVs). Our results illustrate novel sources of polymorphism and highlight potentially impactful variations for phenotypes of body size and conformation. We also detected a copy number loss in the Latherin gene that could be the result of an evolutionary selection affecting thermoregulation through sweating. Our newly discovered variants were formatted into easy-to-use tracks that can be easily accessed by researchers around the globe.
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15
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Graves KT, Eberth JE, Bailey E. Heterozygotes for ACAN dwarfism alleles in horses have reduced stature. Anim Genet 2020; 51:420-422. [PMID: 32065671 DOI: 10.1111/age.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Homozygous and compound heterozygous Miniature horses for ACAN alleles D1, D2, D3* and D4 exhibit chondrodysplastic dwarfism (OMIA 001271-9796). In a previous study, the carrier rate for these four alleles, combined, was 26.2%. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether carriers of these dwarfism-causing alleles had a shorter withers height than non-carriers. A total of 245 Miniature horses were tested for these four ACAN alleles and also were measured for withers height. Of these horses, 98 were carriers and 147 were non-carriers. A statistically significant difference of 1.43 inches was observed with the carriers being shorter (P = 1.72E - 11). The range of heights for the two groups overlapped, indicating that other factors, including genes, have an impact on withers height. However, the high carrier rate of these dwarfism-causing variants may be due to selection for decreased height.
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Affiliation(s)
- K T Graves
- Department of Veterinary Science, MH Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - J E Eberth
- Department of Veterinary Science, MH Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
| | - E Bailey
- Department of Veterinary Science, MH Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA
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16
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Guo J, Qu L, Dou TC, Shen MM, Hu YP, Ma M, Wang KH. Genome-wide association study provides insights into the genetic architecture of bone size and mass in chickens. Genome 2019; 63:133-143. [PMID: 31794256 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2019-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Bone size is an important trait for chickens because of its association with osteoporosis in layers and meat production in broilers. Here, we employed high density genotyping platforms to detect candidate genes for bone traits. Estimates of the narrow heritabilities ranged from 0.37 ± 0.04 for shank length to 0.59 ± 0.04 for tibia length. The dominance heritability was 0.12 ± 0.04 for shank length. Using a linear mixed model approach, we identified a promising locus within NCAPG on chromosome 4, which was associated with tibia length and mass, femur length and area, and shank length. In addition, three other loci were associated with bone size or mass at a Bonferroni-corrected genome-wide significance threshold of 1%. One region on chicken chromosome 1 between 168.38 and 171.82 Mb harbored HTR2A, LPAR6, CAB39L, and TRPC4. A second region that accounted for 2.2% of the phenotypic variance was located around WNT9A on chromosome 2, where allele substitution was predicted to be associated with tibia length. Four candidate genes identified on chromosome 27 comprising SPOP, NGFR, GIP, and HOXB3 were associated with tibia length and mass, femur length and area, and shank length. Genome partitioning analysis indicated that the variance explained by each chromosome was proportional to its length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Guo
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
| | - Liang Qu
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
| | - Tao-Cun Dou
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
| | - Man-Man Shen
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
| | - Yu-Ping Hu
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
| | - Meng Ma
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
| | - Ke-Hua Wang
- Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Key Laboratory for Poultry Genetics and Breeding of Jiangsu province, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225125, China
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17
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Raudsepp T, Finno CJ, Bellone RR, Petersen JL. Ten years of the horse reference genome: insights into equine biology, domestication and population dynamics in the post-genome era. Anim Genet 2019; 50:569-597. [PMID: 31568563 PMCID: PMC6825885 DOI: 10.1111/age.12857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The horse reference genome from the Thoroughbred mare Twilight has been available for a decade and, together with advances in genomics technologies, has led to unparalleled developments in equine genomics. At the core of this progress is the continuing improvement of the quality, contiguity and completeness of the reference genome, and its functional annotation. Recent achievements include the release of the next version of the reference genome (EquCab3.0) and generation of a reference sequence for the Y chromosome. Horse satellite‐free centromeres provide unique models for mammalian centromere research. Despite extremely low genetic diversity of the Y chromosome, it has been possible to trace patrilines of breeds and pedigrees and show that Y variation was lost in the past approximately 2300 years owing to selective breeding. The high‐quality reference genome has led to the development of three different SNP arrays and WGSs of almost 2000 modern individual horses. The collection of WGS of hundreds of ancient horses is unique and not available for any other domestic species. These tools and resources have led to global population studies dissecting the natural history of the species and genetic makeup and ancestry of modern breeds. Most importantly, the available tools and resources, together with the discovery of functional elements, are dissecting molecular causes of a growing number of Mendelian and complex traits. The improved understanding of molecular underpinnings of various traits continues to benefit the health and performance of the horse whereas also serving as a model for complex disease across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Raudsepp
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - C J Finno
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - R R Bellone
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - J L Petersen
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0908, USA
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18
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Gmel AI, Druml T, von Niederhäusern R, Leeb T, Neuditschko M. Genome-Wide Association Studies Based on Equine Joint Angle Measurements Reveal New QTL Affecting the Conformation of Horses. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10050370. [PMID: 31091839 PMCID: PMC6562990 DOI: 10.3390/genes10050370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The evaluation of conformation traits is an important part of selection for breeding stallions and mares. Some of these judged conformation traits involve joint angles that are associated with performance, health, and longevity. To improve our understanding of the genetic background of joint angles in horses, we have objectively measured the angles of the poll, elbow, carpal, fetlock (front and hind), hip, stifle, and hock joints based on one photograph of each of the 300 Franches-Montagnes (FM) and 224 Lipizzan (LIP) horses. After quality control, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for these traits were performed on 495 horses, using 374,070 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a mixed-effect model. We identified two significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the poll angle on ECA28 (p = 1.36 × 10−7), 50 kb downstream of the ALX1 gene, involved in cranial morphology, and for the elbow joint on ECA29 (p = 1.69 × 10−7), 49 kb downstream of the RSU1 gene, and 75 kb upstream of the PTER gene. Both genes are associated with bone mineral density in humans. Furthermore, we identified other suggestive QTL associated with the stifle joint on ECA8 (p = 3.10 × 10−7); the poll on ECA1 (p = 6.83 × 10−7); the fetlock joint of the hind limb on ECA27 (p = 5.42 × 10−7); and the carpal joint angle on ECA3 (p = 6.24 × 10−7), ECA4 (p = 6.07 × 10−7), and ECA7 (p = 8.83 × 10−7). The application of angular measurements in genetic studies may increase our understanding of the underlying genetic effects of important traits in equine breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annik Imogen Gmel
- Agroscope-Swiss National Stud Farm, Les Longs-Prés, 1580 Avenches, Switzerland.
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Thomas Druml
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Veterinary University Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | | | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Markus Neuditschko
- Agroscope-Swiss National Stud Farm, Les Longs-Prés, 1580 Avenches, Switzerland.
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19
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Alkhilaiwi F, Wang L, Zhou D, Raudsepp T, Ghosh S, Paul S, Palechor-Ceron N, Brandt S, Luff J, Liu X, Schlegel R, Yuan H. Long-term expansion of primary equine keratinocytes that maintain the ability to differentiate into stratified epidermis. Stem Cell Res Ther 2018; 9:181. [PMID: 29973296 PMCID: PMC6032561 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-018-0918-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Skin injuries in horses frequently lead to chronic wounds that lack a keratinocyte cover essential for healing. The limited proliferation of equine keratinocytes using current protocols has limited their use for regenerative medicine. Previously, equine induced pluripotent stem cells (eiPSCs) have been produced, and eiPSCs could be differentiated into equine keratinocytes suitable for stem cell-based skin constructs. However, the procedure is technically challenging and time-consuming. The present study was designed to evaluate whether conditional reprogramming (CR) could expand primary equine keratinocytes rapidly in an undifferentiated state but retain their ability to differentiate normally and form stratified epithelium. METHODS Conditional reprogramming was used to isolate and propagate two equine keratinocyte cultures. PCR and FISH were employed to evaluate the equine origin of the cells and karyotyping to perform a chromosomal count. FACS analysis and immunofluorescence were used to determine the purity of equine keratinocytes and their proliferative state. Three-dimensional air-liquid interphase method was used to test the ability of cells to differentiate and form stratified squamous epithelium. RESULTS Conditional reprogramming was an efficient method to isolate and propagate two equine keratinocyte cultures. Cells were propagated at the rate of 2.39 days/doubling for more than 40 population doublings. A feeder-free culture method was also developed for long-term expansion. Rock-inhibitor is critical for both feeder and feeder-free conditions and for maintaining the proliferating cells in a stem-like state. PCR and FISH validated equine-specific markers in the cultures. Karyotyping showed normal equine 64, XY chromosomes. FACS using pan-cytokeratin antibodies showed a pure population of keratinocytes. When ROCK inhibitor was withdrawn and the cells were transferred to a three-dimensional air-liquid culture, they formed a well-differentiated stratified squamous epithelium, which was positive for terminal differentiation markers. CONCLUSIONS Our results prove that conditional reprogramming is the first method that allows for the rapid and continued in vitro propagation of primary equine keratinocytes. These unlimited supplies of autologous cells could be used to generate transplants without the risk of immune rejection. This offers the opportunity for treating recalcitrant horse wounds using autologous transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faris Alkhilaiwi
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
- College of Pharmacy, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Liqing Wang
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
| | - Terje Raudsepp
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Sharmila Ghosh
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Siddartha Paul
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
| | - Nancy Palechor-Ceron
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
| | - Sabine Brandt
- Equine Clinic, VetOMICs Core Facility, Veterinary University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jennifer Luff
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA
| | - Xuefeng Liu
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
| | - Richard Schlegel
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
| | - Hang Yuan
- Department of Pathology, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057 USA
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20
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An B, Xia J, Chang T, Wang X, Miao J, Xu L, Zhang L, Gao X, Chen Y, Li J, Gao H. Genome-wide association study identifies loci and candidate genes for internal organ weights in Simmental beef cattle. Physiol Genomics 2018; 50:523-531. [DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00022.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle internal organs as accessible raw materials have a long history of being widely used in beef processing, feed and pharmaceutical industry. These traits not only are of economic interest to breeders, but they are intrinsically linked to many valuable traits, such as growth, health, and productivity. Using the Illumina Bovine HD 770K SNP array, we performed a genome-wide association study for heart weight, liver weight, spleen weight, lung weight, and kidney weight in 1,217 Simmental cattle. In our research, 38 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) ( P < 1.49 × 10−6) were identified for five internal organ weight traits. These SNPs are within or near 13 genes, and some of them have been reported previously, including NDUFAF4, LCORL, BT.94996, SLIT2, FAM184B, LAP3, BBS12, MECOM, CD300LF, HSD17B3, TLR4, MXI1, and MB21D2. In addition, we detected four haplotype blocks on BTA6 containing 18 significant SNPs associated with spleen weight. Our results offer worthy insights into understanding the genetic mechanisms of internal organs' development, with potential application in breeding programs of Simmental beef cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingxing An
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangwei Xia
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianpeng Chang
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqiao Wang
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Miao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lingyang Xu
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lupei Zhang
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue Gao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Chen
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junya Li
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huijiang Gao
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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Al Abri MA, Posbergh C, Palermo K, Sutter NB, Eberth J, Hoffman GE, Brooks SA. Genome-Wide Scans Reveal a Quantitative Trait Locus for Withers Height in Horses Near the ANKRD1 Gene. J Equine Vet Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2017.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Moore LG. Human Genetic Adaptation to High Altitudes: Current Status and Future Prospects. QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR QUATERNARY RESEARCH 2017; 461:4-13. [PMID: 29375239 PMCID: PMC5784843 DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2016.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The question of whether human populations have adapted genetically to high altitude has been of interest since studies began there in the early 1900s. Initially there was debate as to whether genetic adaptation to high altitude has taken place based, in part, on disciplinary orientation and the sources of evidence being considered. Studies centered on short-term responses, termed acclimatization, and the developmental changes occurring across lifetimes. A paradigm shift occurred with the advent of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) technologies and statistical methods for detecting evidence of natural selection, resulting in an exponential rise in the number of publications reporting genetic adaptation. Reviewed here are the various kinds of evidence by which adaptation to high altitude has been assessed and which have led to widespread acceptance of the idea that genetic adaptation to high altitude has occurred. While methodological and other challenges remain for determining the specific gene or genes involved and the physiological mechanisms by which they are exerting their effects, considerable progress has been realized as shown by recent studies in Tibetans, Andeans and Ethiopians. Further advances are anticipated with the advent of new statistical methods, whole-genome sequencing and other molecular techniques for finer-scale genetic mapping, and greater intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration to identify the functional consequences of the genes or gene regions implicated and the time scales involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna G Moore
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO (formerly of the Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver CO)
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Chillemi G, Bongiorni S, Gioiosa S, Flati T, Castrignanò T, Milanesi M, Ajmone Marsan P, Valentini A. Missense mutations of NCPAG gene affect calving ease in Piedmontese cattle: preliminary evidences. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2017.1370362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Chillemi
- SuperComputing Applications and Innovation Department, CINECA, SCAI, Roma, Italy
| | - Silvia Bongiorni
- Dipartimento per la Innovazione nei Sistemi Biologici, Agroalimentari e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Silvia Gioiosa
- SuperComputing Applications and Innovation Department, CINECA, SCAI, Roma, Italy
- Istituto di Biomembrane e Bioenergetica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Tiziano Flati
- SuperComputing Applications and Innovation Department, CINECA, SCAI, Roma, Italy
- Istituto di Biomembrane e Bioenergetica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Tiziana Castrignanò
- SuperComputing Applications and Innovation Department, CINECA, SCAI, Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Milanesi
- Istituto di Zootecnica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (PC), Italy
| | - Paolo Ajmone Marsan
- Istituto di Zootecnica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza (PC), Italy
| | - Alessio Valentini
- Dipartimento per la Innovazione nei Sistemi Biologici, Agroalimentari e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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