1
|
Anderson H, Salonen M, Toivola S, Blades M, Lyons LA, Forman OP, Hytönen MK, Lohi H. A new Finnish flavor of feline coat coloration, "salmiak," is associated with a 95-kb deletion downstream of the KIT gene. Anim Genet 2024; 55:676-680. [PMID: 38721753 DOI: 10.1111/age.13438] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Cats with a distinctive white hair pattern of unknown molecular cause have been discovered in the Finnish domestic cat population. Based on the unique appearance of these cats, we have named this phenotype salmiak ("salty licorice"). The use of a commercially available panel test to genotype four salmiak-colored cats revealed the absence of all known variants associated with white-haired phenotypic loci: full White (W), Spotting (Ws) and the Birman white Gloves associated (wg) allele of the KIT proto-oncogene (KIT) gene. Whole-genome sequencing on two salmiak-colored cats was conducted to search for candidate causal variants in the KIT gene. Despite a lack of coding variants, visual inspection of the short read alignments revealed a large ~95 kb deletion located ~65 kb downstream of the KIT gene in the salmiak cats. Additional PCR genotyping of 180 domestic cats and three salmiak-colored cats confirmed the homozygous derived variant genotype fully concordant with the salmiak phenotype. We suggest the newly identified variant be designated as wsal for "w salmiak".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Anderson
- Wisdom Panel, Mars Petcare Science & Diagnostics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Milla Salonen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Matthew Blades
- Wisdom Panel, Mars Petcare Science & Diagnostics, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Leslie A Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Oliver P Forman
- Wisdom Panel, Mars Petcare Science & Diagnostics, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Marjo K Hytönen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannes Lohi
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu X, Peng Y, Zhang X, Wang X, Chen W, Kou X, Liang H, Ren W, Khan MZ, Wang C. Coloration in Equine: Overview of Candidate Genes Associated with Coat Color Phenotypes. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1802. [PMID: 38929421 PMCID: PMC11200706 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Variation in coat color among equids has attracted significant interest in genetics and breeding research. The range of colors is primarily determined by the type, concentration, and distribution of melanin pigments, with the balance between eumelanin and pheomelanin influenced by numerous genetic factors. Advances in genomic and sequencing technologies have enabled the identification of several candidate genes that influence coat color, thereby clarifying the genetic basis of these diverse phenotypes. In this review, we concisely categorize coat coloration in horses and donkeys, focusing on the biosynthesis and types of melanin involved in pigmentation. Moreover, we highlight the regulatory roles of some key candidate genes, such as MC1R, TYR, MITF, ASIP, and KIT, in coat color variation. Moreover, the review explores how coat color relates to selective breeding and specific equine diseases, offering valuable insights for developing breeding strategies that enhance both the esthetic and health aspects of equine species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Muhammad Zahoor Khan
- Liaocheng Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 522000, China
| | - Changfa Wang
- Liaocheng Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 522000, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Coulmance F, Akkaynak D, Le Poul Y, Höppner MP, McMillan WO, Puebla O. Phenotypic and genomic dissection of colour pattern variation in a reef fish radiation. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17047. [PMID: 37337919 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs rank among the most diverse species assemblages on Earth. A particularly striking aspect of coral reef communities is the variety of colour patterns displayed by reef fishes. Colour pattern is known to play a central role in the ecology and evolution of reef fishes through, for example, signalling or camouflage. Nevertheless, colour pattern is a complex trait in reef fishes-actually a collection of traits-that is difficult to analyse in a quantitative and standardized way. This is the challenge that we address in this study using the hamlets (Hypoplectrus spp., Serranidae) as a model system. Our approach involves a custom underwater camera system to take orientation- and size-standardized photographs in situ, colour correction, alignment of the fish images with a combination of landmarks and Bézier curves, and principal component analysis on the colour value of each pixel of each aligned fish. This approach identifies the major colour pattern elements that contribute to phenotypic variation in the group. Furthermore, we complement the image analysis with whole-genome sequencing to run a multivariate genome-wide association study for colour pattern variation. This second layer of analysis reveals sharp association peaks along the hamlet genome for each colour pattern element and allows to characterize the phenotypic effect of the single nucleotide polymorphisms that are most strongly associated with colour pattern variation at each association peak. Our results suggest that the diversity of colour patterns displayed by the hamlets is generated by a modular genomic and phenotypic architecture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Floriane Coulmance
- Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Oldenburg, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Panama, Republic of Panama
| | - Derya Akkaynak
- Hatter Department of Marine Technologies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
| | - Yann Le Poul
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Marc P Höppner
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - W Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Panama, Republic of Panama
| | - Oscar Puebla
- Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Oldenburg, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Panama, Republic of Panama
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
McFadden A, Vierra M, Martin K, Brooks SA, Everts RE, Lafayette C. Spotting the Pattern: A Review on White Coat Color in the Domestic Horse. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:451. [PMID: 38338094 PMCID: PMC10854722 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Traits such as shape, size, and color often influence the economic and sentimental value of a horse. Around the world, horses are bred and prized for the colors and markings that make their unique coat patterns stand out from the crowd. The underlying genetic mechanisms determining the color of a horse's coat can vary greatly in their complexity. For example, only two genetic markers are used to determine a horse's base coat color, whereas over 50 genetic variations have been discovered to cause white patterning in horses. Some of these white-causing mutations are benign and beautiful, while others have a notable impact on horse health. Negative effects range from slightly more innocuous defects, like deafness, to more pernicious defects, such as the lethal developmental defect incurred when a horse inherits two copies of the Lethal White Overo allele. In this review, we explore, in detail, the etiology of white spotting and its overall effect on the domestic horse to Spot the Pattern of these beautiful (and sometimes dangerous) white mutations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aiden McFadden
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (M.V.); (K.M.); (R.E.E.); (C.L.)
| | - Micaela Vierra
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (M.V.); (K.M.); (R.E.E.); (C.L.)
| | - Katie Martin
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (M.V.); (K.M.); (R.E.E.); (C.L.)
| | - Samantha A. Brooks
- Department of Animal Sciences, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
| | - Robin E. Everts
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (M.V.); (K.M.); (R.E.E.); (C.L.)
| | - Christa Lafayette
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (M.V.); (K.M.); (R.E.E.); (C.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bellone RR, Tanaka J, Esdaile E, Sutton RB, Payette F, Leduc L, Till BJ, Abdel-Ghaffar AK, Hammond M, Magdesian KG. A de novo 2.3 kb structural variant in MITF explains a novel splashed white phenotype in a Thoroughbred family. Anim Genet 2023; 54:752-762. [PMID: 37697831 DOI: 10.1111/age.13352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Splashed white in horses is characterized by extensive white patterning on the legs, face and abdomen and may be accompanied by deafness. To date, seven variants in microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and two variants in Paired Box 3 (PAX3) have been identified to explain this phenotype. A splashed white Thoroughbred stallion, whose sire and dam were not patterned, was hypothesized to have a de novo variant leading to his white coat pattern. A whole-genome sequencing candidate gene approach identified two single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in SOX10, four SNVs in MITF and a 2.3 kb deletion in MITF with the alternative allele present in this stallion but absent in the other 18 horses analyzed. All six SNVs were annotated as modifiers and were not further considered. The deletion in MITF (NC_009159.3:g.21555811_21558139delinsAAAT) encompasses exon 9 encoding a part of the helix-loop-helix domain required for DNA binding. Sanger sequencing and parentage testing confirmed that this deletion was a de novo mutation of maternal origin. Consistent with the published nomenclature, we denote this likely causal variant as SW8. Genotyping three of this stallion's offspring identified SW8 only in the nearly all-white foal that was confirmed deaf by brainstem auditory evoked response testing. This foal was also a compound heterozygote for dominant white variants (W20/W22), but to date, W variants alone have not been connected to deafness. SW8 marks the fourth de novo MITF variant in horses reported to cause white patterning. The link between deafness and all MITF variants with and without other variants impacting melanocyte development and function needs to be further explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R R Bellone
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - J Tanaka
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - E Esdaile
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - R B Sutton
- Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - F Payette
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, University School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - L Leduc
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, University School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - B J Till
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - A K Abdel-Ghaffar
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - M Hammond
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - K G Magdesian
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gossett CL, Guyer D, Hein J, Brooks SA. Digital Phenotyping Reveals Phenotype Diversity and Epistasis among White Spotting Alleles in the American Paint Horse. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2011. [PMID: 38002953 PMCID: PMC10671537 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
White spotting is an iconic feature of the American Paint Horse. The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) is dedicated to recording pedigree and performance of this stock-type breed, while preserving its distinctive coat color and conformation. Here, the depigmented proportion of the coat (% white coat) was measured using digital photograph analysis of 1195 registered American Paint Horses. Genotypes for nine white-spotting polymorphisms commonly found in Paint Horses, and two pigment-producing loci MCIR and ASIP genes, were also provided by the APHA. White-coat percent significantly increased in horses with more white-spotting alleles present, regardless of the number of loci bearing those alleles, likely due to a strong additive genetic effect at each white-spotting locus, as well as an additive epistatic effect among white spotting loci. Paint Horses with a chestnut base coat color (genotype e/e at MC1R) possessed a significantly higher white coat percentage, suggesting confirming an epistatic interaction between pigmentation signaling genes and loci for white spotting. The APHA registry categories of Regular versus Solid Paint-Bred also differed in their median white coat percentage (p < 0.0001), but not in the overall ranges of this phenotype, reenforcing the importance of the regional patterns of the depigmentation in the definition of the desired APHA phenotype. Multi-locus phenotype prediction models for white-coat percentage performed only moderately well, and improvements in the sample size and the number of loci genotyped will likely be needed before such an approach could be used practically by APHA breeders. In the future, models that enable phenotype prediction based on genotypes, and automated phenotype assessment could increase the production of valuable visual traits in the American Paint Horse population and improve the APHA member experience during the registration process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chelby Lynn Gossett
- UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| | - Danielle Guyer
- UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| | - Jessica Hein
- American Paint Horse Association, Fort Worth, TX 76161-0023, USA
| | - Samantha A. Brooks
- UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Maclary ET, Wauer R, Phillips B, Brown A, Boer EF, Samani AM, Shapiro MD. An allelic series at the EDNRB2 locus controls diverse piebalding patterns in the domestic pigeon. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010880. [PMID: 37862332 PMCID: PMC10588866 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010880] [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: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in pigment patterns within and among vertebrate species reflects underlying changes in cell migration and function that can impact health, reproductive success, and survival. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia) is an exceptional model for understanding the genetic changes that give rise to diverse pigment patterns, as selective breeding has given rise to hundreds of breeds with extensive variation in plumage color and pattern. Here, we map the genetic architecture of a suite of pigmentation phenotypes known as piebalding. Piebalding is characterized by patches of pigmented and non-pigmented feathers, and these plumage patterns are often breed-specific and stable across generations. Using a combination of quantitative trait locus mapping in F2 laboratory crosses and genome-wide association analysis, we identify a locus associated with piebalding across many pigeon breeds. This shared locus harbors a candidate gene, EDNRB2, that is a known regulator of pigment cell migration, proliferation, and survival. We discover multiple distinct haplotypes at the EDNRB2 locus in piebald pigeons, which include a mix of protein-coding, noncoding, and structural variants that are associated with depigmentation in specific plumage regions. These results identify a role for EDNRB2 in pigment patterning in the domestic pigeon, and highlight how repeated selection at a single locus can generate a diverse array of stable and heritable pigment patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily T. Maclary
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Ryan Wauer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Bridget Phillips
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Audrey Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Elena F. Boer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Atoosa M. Samani
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Shapiro
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Maclary ET, Wauer R, Phillips B, Brown A, Boer EF, Samani AM, Shapiro MD. An allelic series at the EDNRB2 locus controls diverse piebalding patterns in the domestic pigeon. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.26.550625. [PMID: 37546953 PMCID: PMC10402103 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.26.550625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Variation in pigment patterns within and among vertebrate species reflects underlying changes in cell migration and function that can impact health, reproductive success, and survival. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia) is an exceptional model for understanding the genetic changes that give rise to diverse pigment patterns, as selective breeding has given rise to hundreds of breeds with extensive variation in plumage color and pattern. Here, we map the genetic architecture of a suite of pigmentation phenotypes known as piebalding. Piebalding is characterized by patches of pigmented and non-pigmented feathers, and these plumage patterns are often breed-specific and stable across generations. Using a combination of quantitative trait locus mapping in F2 laboratory crosses and genome-wide association analysis, we identify a locus associated with piebalding across many pigeon breeds. This shared locus harbors a candidate gene, EDNRB2, that is a known regulator of pigment cell migration, proliferation, and survival. We discover multiple distinct haplotypes at the EDNRB2 locus in piebald pigeons, which include a mix of protein-coding, noncoding, and structural variants that are associated with depigmentation in specific plumage regions. These results identify a role for EDNRB2 in pigment patterning in the domestic pigeon, and highlight how repeated selection at a single locus can generate a diverse array of stable and heritable pigment patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily T. Maclary
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Ryan Wauer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Bridget Phillips
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Audrey Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Elena F. Boer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Atoosa M. Samani
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Michael D. Shapiro
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
McFadden A, Martin K, Foster G, Vierra M, Lundquist EW, Everts RE, Martin E, Volz E, McLoone K, Brooks SA, Lafayette C. 5'UTR Variant in KIT Associated with White Spotting in Horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2023:104563. [PMID: 37182614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in KIT, a gene that influences melanoblast migration and pigmentation, often result in mammalian white spotting. As of February 2023, over 30 KIT variants associated with white spotting were documented in Equus caballus (horse). Here we report an association of increased white spotting on the skin and coat with a variant in the 5'UTR of KIT (rs1149701677: g.79,618,649A>C). Horses possessing at least one alternate allele demonstrate phenotypic characteristics similar to other KIT mutations: clear borders around unpigmented regions on the body, face, and limbs. Using a quantitative measure of depigmentation, we observed an average white score of 10.70 among individuals with rs1149701677, while the average score of the control, homozygous reference sample was 2.23 (p=1.892e-11, n=109, t-test). The rs1149701677 site has a cross-species conservation score of 3.4, one of the highest scores across the KIT 5'UTR, implying regulatory importance for this site. Ensembl also predicted a "moderately impactful" functional effect for the rs1149701677 variant. We propose that this single nucleotide variant likely alters the regulation of KIT, which in turn may disrupt melanoblast migration causing an increase in white spotting on the coat. Alternatively, the rs1149701677 variant may be in linkage with another nearby variant with an as-yet-undiscovered functional impact. We propose to term this new allele "Holiday White" or W35 based on conventional nomenclature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Erin Volz
- Etalon Inc, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - Samantha A Brooks
- Department of Animal Sciences, UF Genetics Institute University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Breed Distribution and Allele Frequencies of Base Coat Color, Dilution, and White Patterning Variants across 28 Horse Breeds. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13091641. [PMID: 36140807 PMCID: PMC9498372 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Since domestication, horses have been selectively bred for various coat colors and white spotting patterns. To investigate breed distribution, allele frequencies, and potential lethal variants for recommendations on genetic testing, 29 variants within 14 genes were investigated in 11,281 horses from 28 breeds. The recessive chestnut ea allele in melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) (p.D84N) was identified in four breeds: Knabstrupper, Paint Horse, Percheron, and Quarter Horse. After filtering for relatedness, ea allele frequency in Knabstruppers was estimated at 0.035, thus illustrating the importance of testing for mate selection for base coat color. The Rocky Mountain Horse breed had the highest allele frequency for two of the dilution variants under investigation (Za.f. = 0.32 and Cha.f. = 0.026); marker-assisted selection in this breed could aid in the production of horses with desirable dilute coats with less severe ocular anomalies caused by the silver (Z) allele. With regard to white patterning, nine horses homozygous for the paired box 3 (PAX3) splashed white 2 (SW2) allele (p.C70Y) and six horses homozygous for the KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT) sabino 1 (SB1) allele (ECA3g.79544206A>T) were identified, thus determining they are rare and confirming that homozygosity for SW2 is not embryonic lethal. The KIT dominant white 20 (W20) allele (p.R682H) was identified in all but three breeds: Arabian (n = 151), Icelandic Horse (n = 66), and Norwegian Fjord Horse (n = 90). The role of W20 in pigmentation across breeds is not well understood; given the different selection regimes of the breeds investigated, these data provide justification for further evaluating the functional role of this allele in pigmentation. Here, we present the largest dataset reported for coat color variants in horses to date, and these data highlight the importance of breed-specific studies to inform on the proper use of marker-assisted selection and to develop hypotheses related to pigmentation for further testing in horses.
Collapse
|
11
|
Patterson Rosa L, Martin K, Vierra M, Lundquist E, Foster G, Brooks SA, Lafayette C. A KIT Variant Associated with Increased White Spotting Epistatic to MC1R Genotype in Horses ( Equus caballus). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12151958. [PMID: 35953947 PMCID: PMC9367399 DOI: 10.3390/ani12151958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 40 identified genetic variants contribute to white spotting in the horse. White markings and spotting are under selection for their impact on the economic value of an equine, yet many phenotypes have an unknown genetic basis. Previous studies also demonstrate an interaction between MC1R and ASIP pigmentation loci and white spotting associated with KIT and MITF. We investigated two stallions presenting with a white spotting phenotype of unknown cause. Exon sequencing of the KIT and MITF candidate genes identified a missense variant in KIT (rs1140732842, NC_009146.3:g.79566881T>C, p.T391A) predicted by SIFT and PROVEAN as not tolerated/deleterious. Three independent observers generated an Average Grade of White (AGW) phenotype score for 147 individuals based on photographs. The KIT variant demonstrates a significant QTL association to AGW (p = 3.3 × 10−12). Association with the MC1R Extension locus demonstrated that, although not in LD, MC1R e/e (chestnut) individuals had higher AGW scores than MC1R E/- individuals (p = 3.09 × 10−17). We also report complete linkage of the previously reported KIT W19 allele to this missense variant. We propose to term this variant W34, following the standardized nomenclature for white spotting variants within the equine KIT gene, and report its epistatic interaction with MC1R.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Patterson Rosa
- Etalon, Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (K.M.); (M.V.); (E.L.); (G.F.)
- Correspondence: (L.P.R.); (C.L.); Tel.: +1-650-380-2995 (C.L.)
| | - Katie Martin
- Etalon, Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (K.M.); (M.V.); (E.L.); (G.F.)
| | - Micaela Vierra
- Etalon, Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (K.M.); (M.V.); (E.L.); (G.F.)
| | - Erica Lundquist
- Etalon, Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (K.M.); (M.V.); (E.L.); (G.F.)
| | - Gabriel Foster
- Etalon, Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (K.M.); (M.V.); (E.L.); (G.F.)
| | - Samantha A. Brooks
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
| | - Christa Lafayette
- Etalon, Inc., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (K.M.); (M.V.); (E.L.); (G.F.)
- Correspondence: (L.P.R.); (C.L.); Tel.: +1-650-380-2995 (C.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Patterson Rosa L, Martin K, Vierra M, Foster G, Brooks SA, Lafayette C. Non-frameshift deletion on MITF is associated with a novel splashed white spotting pattern in horses (Equus caballus). Anim Genet 2022; 53:538-540. [PMID: 35672910 DOI: 10.1111/age.13225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Samantha A Brooks
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Esdaile E, Till B, Kallenberg A, Fremeux M, Bickel L, Bellone RR. A de novo missense mutation in KIT is responsible for dominant white spotting phenotype in a Standardbred horse. Anim Genet 2022; 53:534-537. [PMID: 35641888 DOI: 10.1111/age.13222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Esdaile
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Brad Till
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Angelica Kallenberg
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Michelle Fremeux
- InfogeneNZ, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Leslie Bickel
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Rebecca R Bellone
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Identification of W13 in the American Miniature Horse and Shetland Pony Populations. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121985. [PMID: 34946933 PMCID: PMC8702037 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Coat color is a trait of economic significance in horses. Variants in seven genes have been documented to cause white patterning in horses. Of the 34 variants that have been identified in KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT), 27 have only been reported in a single individual or family and thus not all are routinely offered for genetic testing. Therefore, to enable proper use of marker-assisted selection, determining breed specificity for these alleles is warranted. Screening 19 unregistered all-white Shetland ponies for 16 white patterning markers identified 14 individuals whose phenotype could not be explained by testing results. In evaluating other known dominant white variants, 14 horses were heterozygous for W13. W13 was previously only reported in two quarter horses and a family of Australian miniature horses. Genotyping known white spotting variants in 30 owner-reported white animals (25 Miniature Horses and five Shetland ponies) identified two additional W13/N American Miniature Horses. The estimated allele frequency of W13 in the American Miniature Horse was 0.0063 (79 N/N, 1 W13/N) and the allele was not detected in a random sample (n = 59) of Shetland ponies. No homozygous W13 individuals were identified and W13/N ponies had a similar all-white coat with pink skin phenotype, regardless of the other white spotting variants present, demonstrating that W13 results in a Mendelian inherited dominant white phenotype and homozygosity is likely lethal. These findings document the presence of W13 in the American Miniature Horse and Shetland pony populations at a low frequency and illustrate the importance of testing for this variant in additional breeds.
Collapse
|
15
|
Patterson Rosa L, Martin K, Vierra M, Foster G, Lundquist E, Brooks SA, Lafayette C. Two Variants of KIT Causing White Patterning in Stock-Type Horses. J Hered 2021; 112:447-451. [PMID: 34223905 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 30 polymorphisms in the KIT Proto-Oncogene Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (KIT) gene have been implicated in white spotting patterns ranging from small areas to full dermal depigmentation in the horse. We performed a candidate-gene exon sequencing approach on KIT and MITF, 2 known causatives of white spotting patterns, within 2 families of horses of unknown white spotting. Family 1 (Fam1, N = 5) consisted of a Quarter Horse stallion and 4 offspring with white spotting pattern ranging from legs, lower ventral, and head regions with jagged borders, to almost complete white. The second family (Fam2, N = 7) consisted of 6 half-sibling American Paint Horse/Quarter Horse and their dam, demonstrating unpigmented limbs with belly spots and an extensive white patterning on the face. This approach resulted in 2 variants significantly associated with familial phenotypes, where Fam1 variant is an indel leading to a frameshift mutation, and Fam2 a non-synonymous SNP. We validated the variants within an unrelated population of horses (Fam2 variant, P = 0.00271944) as well as for protein functional impact with ExPASy, Protter, Phyre2, SMART, PROVEAN, SIFT, and I-TASSER, confirming the reported associations. Fam1 associated variant, deemed W31, alters the protein sequence, leading to an early stop codon truncating the normal amino acid sequence from 972 to just 115 amino acids. Fam2 associated variant, deemed W32, may have a subtle impact on receptor function or could be in linkage with a non-coding or regulatory change creating the mild spotting pattern observed in this family.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Samantha A Brooks
- Department of Animal Science, UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Cumer T, Boyer F, Pompanon F. Genome-Wide Detection of Structural Variations Reveals New Regions Associated with Domestication in Small Ruminants. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab165. [PMID: 34264322 PMCID: PMC8350358 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
During domestication processes, changes in selective pressures induce multiple phenotypical, physiological, and behavioral changes in target species. The rise of next-generation sequencing has provided a chance to study the genetics bases of these changes, most of the time based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, several studies have highlighted the impact of structural variations (SVs) on individual fitness, particularly in domestic species. We aimed at unraveling the role of SVs during the domestication and later improvement of small ruminants by analyzing whole-genome sequences of 40 domestic sheep and 11 of their close wild relatives (Ovis orientalis), and 40 goats and 18 of their close wild relatives (Capra aegagrus). Using a combination of detection tools, we called 45,796 SVs in Ovis and 15,047 SVs in Capra genomes, including insertions, deletions, inversions, copy number variations, and chromosomal translocations. Most of these SVs were previously unreported in small ruminants. 69 and 45 SVs in sheep and goats, respectively, were in genomic regions with neighboring SNPs highly differentiated between wilds and domestics (i.e., putatively related to domestication). Among them, 25 and 20 SVs were close to or overlapping with genes related to physiological and morpho-anatomical traits linked with productivity (e.g., size, meat or milk quality, wool color), reproduction, or immunity. Finally, several of the SVs differentiated between wilds and domestics would not have been detected by screening only the differentiation of SNPs surrounding them, highlighting the complementarity of SVs and SNPs based approaches to detect signatures of selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Cumer
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Frédéric Boyer
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - François Pompanon
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Magdesian KG, Tanaka J, Bellone RR. A De Novo MITF Deletion Explains a Novel Splashed White Phenotype in an American Paint Horse. J Hered 2021; 111:287-293. [PMID: 32242630 PMCID: PMC7238438 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Splashed white is a coat color pattern in horses characterized by extensive white patterning on the legs, belly, and face often accompanied by blue eyes and deafness. Three mutations in microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and two mutations in Paired Box 3 (PAX3) have been identified that explain splashed white patterns (SW1-SW5). An American Paint Horse stallion with a splashed white phenotype and blue eyes, whose parents were not white patterned, was negative for the 5 known splashed white variants and other known white spotting alleles. This novel splashed white phenotype (SW6) was hypothesized to be caused by a de novo mutation in MITF or PAX3. Analysis of whole-genome sequencing using the EquCab3.0 reference genome for comparison identified an 8.7 kb deletion in MITF on ECA16 (NC_009159.3:g.21551060-21559770del). The deletion encompassed part of intron 7 through the 3' UTR of exon 9 of MITF, including the helix-loop-helix DNA-binding domain (ENSECAT00000006375.3). This variant is predicted to truncate protein and impair binding to DNA. Sanger sequencing confirmed the stallion was heterozygous for the MITF deletion. No single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or structural variants were identified in PAX3 or any of the other candidate genes that were unique to the stallion or predicted to affect protein function. Genotyping five of the stallion's splashed white offspring, including one all white foal, found that they were also heterozygous for the deletion. Given the role of MITF in producing white pattern phenotypes, and the predicted deleterious effect of this mutation, this 8.7 kb deletion is the likely causal variant for SW6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Gary Magdesian
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Jocelyn Tanaka
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
| | - Rebecca R Bellone
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Horse Clinical Cytogenetics: Recurrent Themes and Novel Findings. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030831. [PMID: 33809432 PMCID: PMC8001954 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical cytogenetic studies in horses have been ongoing for over half a century and clearly demonstrate that chromosomal disorders are among the most common non-infectious causes of decreased fertility, infertility, and congenital defects. Large-scale cytogenetic surveys show that almost 30% of horses with reproductive or developmental problems have chromosome aberrations, whereas abnormal karyotypes are found in only 2-5% of the general population. Among the many chromosome abnormalities reported in the horse, most are unique or rare. However, all surveys agree that there are two recurrent conditions: X-monosomy and SRY-negative XY male-to-female sex reversal, making up approximately 35% and 11% of all chromosome abnormalities, respectively. The two are signature conditions for the horse and rare or absent in other domestic species. The progress in equine genomics and the development of molecular tools, have qualitatively improved clinical cytogenetics today, allowing for refined characterization of aberrations and understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms. While cutting-edge genomics tools promise further improvements in chromosome analysis, they will not entirely replace traditional cytogenetics, which still is the most straightforward, cost-effective, and fastest approach for the initial evaluation of potential breeding animals and horses with reproductive or developmental disorders.
Collapse
|
19
|
He Z, Dai X, Beaumont M, Yu F. Detecting and Quantifying Natural Selection at Two Linked Loci from Time Series Data of Allele Frequencies with Forward-in-Time Simulations. Genetics 2020; 216:521-541. [PMID: 32826299 PMCID: PMC7536848 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in DNA sequencing techniques have made it possible to monitor genomes in great detail over time. This improvement provides an opportunity for us to study natural selection based on time serial samples of genomes while accounting for genetic recombination effect and local linkage information. Such time series genomic data allow for more accurate estimation of population genetic parameters and hypothesis testing on the recent action of natural selection. In this work, we develop a novel Bayesian statistical framework for inferring natural selection at a pair of linked loci by capitalising on the temporal aspect of DNA data with the additional flexibility of modeling the sampled chromosomes that contain unknown alleles. Our approach is built on a hidden Markov model where the underlying process is a two-locus Wright-Fisher diffusion with selection, which enables us to explicitly model genetic recombination and local linkage. The posterior probability distribution for selection coefficients is computed by applying the particle marginal Metropolis-Hastings algorithm, which allows us to efficiently calculate the likelihood. We evaluate the performance of our Bayesian inference procedure through extensive simulations, showing that our approach can deliver accurate estimates of selection coefficients, and the addition of genetic recombination and local linkage brings about significant improvement in the inference of natural selection. We also illustrate the utility of our method on real data with an application to ancient DNA data associated with white spotting patterns in horses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhangyi He
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, BS8 1UG, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaoyang Dai
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Beaumont
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Feng Yu
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, BS8 1UG, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Cesarani A, Gaspa G, Pauciullo A, Degano L, Vicario D, Macciotta NPP. Genome-wide analysis of homozygosity regions in european simmental bulls. J Anim Breed Genet 2020; 138:69-79. [PMID: 33263211 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The study of Runs of Homozygosity (ROH) is a useful approach for the characterization of the genome of livestock populations. Due to their high relationship with autozygosity, ROH allow to make inference about population genetic history, to estimate the level of inbreeding, to assess within breed heterogeneity and to detect the footprints of selection on livestock genomes. Aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of runs of homozygosity in bulls belonging to five European Simmental populations and to assess the relationship between three production traits (milk yield, fat and protein contents) and autozygosity. ROH count, distribution and ROH-based coefficient of inbreeding (FROH ) were calculated for 3,845 Simmental bulls of five different European countries: Austria (AT), Switzerland (CH), Czech Republic (CZ), Germany (DE) and Italy (IT). Average values of ROH number per animal, and total genome length covered by ROH were 77.8 ± 20.7 and 205 ± 74.4 Mb, respectively. Bulls from AT, DE and IT exhibited similar ROH characteristics. Swiss animals showed the highest (12.6%), while CZ the lowest (4.6%) FROH coefficient. The relationship between ROH occurrence and milk production traits was investigated through a genome-wide ROH-traits association analysis (GWRA). A total of 34 regions previously associated with milk traits (yield and/or composition) were identified by GWRA. Results of the present research highlight a mixed genetic background in the 5 European Simmental populations, with the possible presence of three subgroups. Moreover, a strong relationship between autozygosity and production traits has been detected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Cesarani
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Pezzata Rossa Italiana (ANAPRI), Udine, Italy
| | - Giustino Gaspa
- Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Alimentary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Alfredo Pauciullo
- Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Alimentary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Degano
- Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Pezzata Rossa Italiana (ANAPRI), Udine, Italy
| | - Daniele Vicario
- Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Pezzata Rossa Italiana (ANAPRI), Udine, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Brooks SA, Palermo KM, Kahn A, Hein J. Impact of white‐spotting alleles, including
W20
, on phenotype in the American Paint Horse. Anim Genet 2020; 51:707-715. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S. A. Brooks
- Department of Animal Sciences UF Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611‐0910 USA
| | - K. M. Palermo
- Department of Animal Sciences UF Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611‐0910 USA
| | - A. Kahn
- Department of Animal Sciences UF Genetics Institute University of Florida Gainesville FL 32611‐0910 USA
| | - J. Hein
- American Paint Horse Association Fort Worth TX 76161‐0023 USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Coat Color Roan Shows Association with KIT Variants and No Evidence of Lethality in Icelandic Horses. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11060680. [PMID: 32580410 PMCID: PMC7348759 DOI: 10.3390/genes11060680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Roan (Rn) horses show a typical seasonal change of color. Their body is covered with colored and white hair. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis of breeding records of Icelandic horses to challenge the hypothesis of roan being lethal in utero under homozygous condition. The roan to non-roan ratio of foals from roan × roan matings revealed homozygous roan Icelandic horses to be viable. Even though roan is known to be inherited in a dominant mode and epistatic to other coat colors, the causative mutation is still unknown. Nevertheless, an association between roan phenotype and the KIT gene was shown for different horse breeds. In the present study, we identified KIT variants by Sanger sequencing, and show that KIT is also associated with roan in the Icelandic horse breed.
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
Genetic testing in horses began in the 1960s, when parentage testing using blood group markers became the standard. In the 1990s, parentage testing shifted from evaluating blood groups to DNA testing. The development of genetics and genomics in both human and veterinarian medicine, along with continued technological advances in the last 2 decades, has helped unravel the causal variants for many horse traits. Genetic testing is also now possible for a variety of phenotypic and disease traits and is used to assist in breeding and clinical management decisions. This article describes the genetic tests that are currently available for horses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R Bellone
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction Davis, CA 95616, USA; Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Felipe Avila
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
De Lorenzi L, Pauciullo A, Iannuzzi A, Parma P. Cytogenetic Characterization of a Small Evolutionary Rearrangement Involving Chromosomes BTA21 and OAR18. Cytogenet Genome Res 2020; 160:193-198. [PMID: 32485720 DOI: 10.1159/000507645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Both cattle (Bos taurus) and sheep (Ovis aries) belong to the Bovidae family but to different subfamilies, Bovinae and Caprinae, respectively. From a chromosomal point of view, apart from the already known centric fusions (that occurred during the evolutionary process in the Bovidae family) and the small differences in the chromosome classification, the 2 karyotypes are very similar in banding patterns. In this study, the combination of bioinformatics techniques and physical mapping of DNA markers enabled the identification of a micro-rearrangement, a small inversion involving bovine chromosome 21 (BTA21) and the corresponding sheep chromosome 18 (OAR18). The aim of this study was the cytogenetic characterization of this difference in genomic assemblies between cattle and sheep in this single chromosome region. To verify the inversion in FISH experiments, we used the BACs 442H08 and 222H03 from the INRA library and BACs 134H22 and 436P08 from the sheep-specific CHORI library. The results confirmed the presence of the inverted fragment in sheep compared to the cattle genome. Genomic rearrangements may have consequences depending on their influence on gene activity, but in this case no gene or transcribed DNA portion seemed to be involved. In conclusion, we showed for the first time, concerning autosomes, that besides the already known centric fusions also other differences exist between the bovine and sheep karyotypes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the combination of a bioinformatics approach and physical mapping is a valid tool for the identification of currently unknown rearrangements between related species.
Collapse
|
25
|
Artesi M, Tamma N, Deckers M, Karim L, Coppieters W, Van den Broeke A, Georges M, Charlier C, Durkin K. Colour‐sidedness in Gloucester cattle is associated with a complex structural variant impacting regulatory elements downstream of KIT. Anim Genet 2020; 51:461-465. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Artesi
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - N. Tamma
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - M. Deckers
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - L. Karim
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - W. Coppieters
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - A. Van den Broeke
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology Institut Jules Bordet Université Libre de Bruxelles Boulevard de Waterloo 121 Brussels 1000 Belgium
| | - M. Georges
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - C. Charlier
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| | - K. Durkin
- Unit of Animal Genomics GIGA Institute University of Liège 1, avenue de l’hôpital Liège4000Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Andersson L. Mutations in Domestic Animals Disrupting or Creating Pigmentation Patterns. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
|
27
|
Petersen JL, Kalbfleisch TS, Parris M, Tietze SM, Cruickshank J. MC1R and KIT Haplotypes Associate With Pigmentation Phenotypes of North American Yak (Bos grunniens). J Hered 2020; 111:182-193. [PMID: 31714577 PMCID: PMC7530542 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Small numbers of domestic yak (Bos grunniens) were imported to North America in the late 19th century indirectly from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Coat color of yak is of interest for fiber production, aesthetics, and as a potential indicator of recent hybridization with cattle. North American yak are classified into 3 major coat color patterns depending upon the presence and extent of white markings. They are further classified by nose pigmentation (black or gray). The aim of this study was to identify loci involved in white patterning and nose pigmentation of North American yak. Genotyping by mass spectrometry of markers identified through Sanger and whole-genome sequencing revealed a 388 kb haplotype of KIT associated in a semi-dominant manner with white coloration in this population of yak. This KIT haplotype is similar to both a haplotype found in white-faced Chinese yak and to haplotypes found in cattle but is divergent from other Bos species such as bison, gaur, and banteng. Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) was implicated as a dominant determinant of black nose color with a single haplotype containing 2 missense mutations perfectly associated with the phenotype. The MC1R haplotype associated with black nose pigment is also similar to cattle haplotypes. No cattle studied, however, shared either of the 2 haplotypes associated with color in yak, suggesting these alleles were introgressed into yak before they were imported to North America. These results provide molecular insight into the history of North American yak and information from which breeders can determine possible color outcomes of matings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Petersen
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
| | - Theodore S Kalbfleisch
- Department of Veterinary Science, Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Morgan Parris
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
| | - Shauna M Tietze
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
| | - Jenifer Cruickshank
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Grilz-Seger G, Reiter S, Neuditschko M, Wallner B, Rieder S, Leeb T, Jagannathan V, Mesarič M, Cotman M, Pausch H, Lindgren G, Velie B, Horna M, Brem G, Druml T. A Genome-Wide Association Analysis in Noriker Horses Identifies a SNP Associated With Roan Coat Color. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 88:102950. [PMID: 32303326 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.102950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The roan coat color in horses is characterized by dispersed white hair and dark points. This phenotype segregates in a broad range of horse breeds, while the underlying genetic background is still unknown. Previous studies mapped the roan locus to the KIT gene on equine chromosome 3 (ECA3). However, this association could not be validated across different horse breeds. Performing a genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) in Noriker horses, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (ECA3:g.79,543.439 A > G) in the intron 17 of the KIT gene. The G -allele of the top associated SNP was present in other roan horses, namely Quarter Horse, Murgese, Slovenian, and Belgian draught horse, while it was absent in a panel of 15 breeds, including 657 non-roan horses. In further 379 gray Lipizzan horses, eight animals exhibited a heterozygous genotype (A/G). Comparative whole-genome sequence analysis of the KIT region revealed two deletions in the downstream region (ECA3:79,533,217_79,533,224delTCGTCTTC; ECA3:79,533,282_79,533,285delTTCT) and a 3 bp deletion combined with 17 bp insertion in intron 20 of KIT (ECA3:79,588,128_79,588,130delinsTTATCTCTATAGTAGTT). Within the Noriker sample, these loci were in complete linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the identified top SNP. Based upon pedigree information and historical records, we were able to trace back the genetic origin of roan coat color to a baroque gene pool. Furthermore, our data suggest allelic heterogeneity and the existence of additional roan alleles in ponies and breeds related to the English Thoroughbred. In order to study the roan phenotype segregating in those breeds, further association and verification studies are required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gertrud Grilz-Seger
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Simone Reiter
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Barbara Wallner
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Tosso Leeb
- Department of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Department of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matjaz Mesarič
- Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Markus Cotman
- Department for Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Gabriella Lindgren
- Department of Animal Breeding & Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; Livestock Genetics, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Brandon Velie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michaela Horna
- Department of Animal Husbandry, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Gottfried Brem
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Pasternak M, Krupiński J, Gurgul A, Bugno-Poniewierska M. Genetic, historical and breeding aspects of the occurrence of the tobiano pattern and white markings in the Polish population of Hucul horses – a review. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2020.1715224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pasternak
- Department of Sheep and Goat Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jędrzej Krupiński
- Department of Horse Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Kraków, Poland
| | - Artur Gurgul
- Department of Animal Molecular Biology, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Kraków, Poland
| | - Monika Bugno-Poniewierska
- Department of Veterinary, Reproduction and Animal Welfare, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Henkel J, Saif R, Jagannathan V, Schmocker C, Zeindler F, Bangerter E, Herren U, Posantzis D, Bulut Z, Ammann P, Drögemüller C, Flury C, Leeb T. Selection signatures in goats reveal copy number variants underlying breed-defining coat color phenotypes. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008536. [PMID: 31841508 PMCID: PMC6936872 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestication and human selection have formed diverse goat breeds with characteristic phenotypes. This process correlated with the fixation of causative genetic variants controlling breed-specific traits within regions of reduced genetic diversity, so called selection signatures or selective sweeps. Using whole genome sequencing of DNA pools (pool-seq) from 20 genetically diverse modern goat breeds and bezoars, we identified 2,239 putative selection signatures. In two Pakistani goat breeds, Pak Angora and Barbari, we found selection signatures in a region harboring KIT, a gene involved in melanoblast development, migration, and survival. The search for candidate causative variants responsible for these selective sweeps revealed two different copy number variants (CNVs) downstream of KIT that were exclusively present in white Pak Angora and white-spotted Barbari goats. Several Swiss goat breeds selected for specific coat colors showed selection signatures at the ASIP locus encoding the agouti signaling protein. Analysis of these selective sweeps revealed four different CNVs associated with the white or tan (AWt), Swiss markings (Asm), badgerface (Ab), and the newly proposed peacock (Apc) allele. RNA-seq analyses on skin samples from goats with the different CNV alleles suggest that the identified structural variants lead to an altered expression of ASIP between eumelanistic and pheomelanistic body areas. Our study yields novel insights into the genetic control of pigmentation by identifying six functionally relevant CNVs. It illustrates how structural changes of the genome have contributed to phenotypic evolution in domestic goats. Domestic animals have been selected for hundreds or sometimes even thousands of years for traits that were appreciated by their human owners. This process correlated with the fixation of causative genetic variants controlling breed-specific traits within regions of reduced genetic diversity, so called selection signatures or selective sweeps. We conducted a comprehensive screen for selection signatures in 20 phenotypically and genetically diverse modern goat breeds and identified a total of 2,239 putative selection signatures in our dataset. Follow-up experiments on selection signatures harboring known candidate genes for coat color revealed six different copy number variants (CNVs). Two of these CNVs were located in the 3’-flanking region of KIT and associated with a completely white coat color phenotype in Pak Angora goats and a white-spotted coat color phenotype in Barbari goats, respectively. The other four CNVs were located at the ASIP locus. They were associated with four different types of coat color patterning in seven Swiss goat breeds. Their functional effect is mediated by region-specific quantitative changes in ASIP mRNA expression. Our study illustrates how structural changes of the genome have contributed to phenotypic evolution in domestic goats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Henkel
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- DermFocus, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rashid Saif
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Biotechnology, Gulab Devi Educational Complex, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- DermFocus, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Corinne Schmocker
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Flurina Zeindler
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Zollikofen, Switzerland
| | | | - Ursula Herren
- Swiss Goat Breeding Association, Zollikofen, Switzerland
| | | | - Zafer Bulut
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
| | | | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- DermFocus, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christine Flury
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Zollikofen, Switzerland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- DermFocus, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Jivanji S, Worth G, Lopdell TJ, Yeates A, Couldrey C, Reynolds E, Tiplady K, McNaughton L, Johnson TJJ, Davis SR, Harris B, Spelman R, Snell RG, Garrick D, Littlejohn MD. Genome-wide association analysis reveals QTL and candidate mutations involved in white spotting in cattle. Genet Sel Evol 2019; 51:62. [PMID: 31703548 PMCID: PMC6839108 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-019-0506-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND White spotting of the coat is a characteristic trait of various domestic species including cattle and other mammals. It is a hallmark of Holstein-Friesian cattle, and several previous studies have detected genetic loci with major effects for white spotting in animals with Holstein-Friesian ancestry. Here, our aim was to better understand the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms of white spotting, by conducting the largest mapping study for this trait in cattle, to date. RESULTS Using imputed whole-genome sequence data, we conducted a genome-wide association analysis in 2973 mixed-breed cows and bulls. Highly significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) were found on chromosomes 6 and 22, highlighting the well-established coat color genes KIT and MITF as likely responsible for these effects. These results are in broad agreement with previous studies, although we also report a third significant QTL on chromosome 2 that appears to be novel. This signal maps immediately adjacent to the PAX3 gene, which encodes a known transcription factor that controls MITF expression and is the causal locus for white spotting in horses. More detailed examination of these loci revealed a candidate causal mutation in PAX3 (p.Thr424Met), and another candidate mutation (rs209784468) within a conserved element in intron 2 of MITF transcripts expressed in the skin. These analyses also revealed a mechanistic ambiguity at the chromosome 6 locus, where highly dispersed association signals suggested multiple or multiallelic QTL involving KIT and/or other genes in this region. CONCLUSIONS Our findings extend those of previous studies that reported KIT as a likely causal gene for white spotting, and report novel associations between candidate causal mutations in both the MITF and PAX3 genes. The sizes of the effects of these QTL are substantial, and could be used to select animals with darker, or conversely whiter, coats depending on the desired characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Swati Jivanji
- Massey University Manawatu, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, 4442 New Zealand
| | - Gemma Worth
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Thomas J. Lopdell
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Anna Yeates
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Christine Couldrey
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Edwardo Reynolds
- Massey University Manawatu, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, 4442 New Zealand
| | - Kathryn Tiplady
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Lorna McNaughton
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Thomas J. J. Johnson
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Stephen R. Davis
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Bevin Harris
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Richard Spelman
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| | - Russell G. Snell
- The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand
| | - Dorian Garrick
- Massey University Manawatu, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, 4442 New Zealand
| | - Mathew D. Littlejohn
- Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), 605 Ruakura Rd, Newstead, 3286 New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
The Genetic Basis of Piebald Coat Colour in Hucul Horses in the Context of White Markings and Crypto-Tobiano as a Breeding Problem in Poland. ANNALS OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2019-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyse the genetic basis of piebald coat colour in Hucul horses and to verify their coat colour in breeding records. Tests were performed with DNA purified from the whole blood samples of 242 Hucul horses with different coat colour patterns. DNA was analysed to identify an inversion in ECA3 (PCR). The results confirmed that the inversion on ECA3 is a direct factor determining piebald (tobiano) colour in the analysed Hucul horses. No inversion was observed in any of the solid coloured horses, but it was present in all the piebald ones. It was also identified in 18% (11 of 61) of the horses from the group of horses qualified in the passport as solid coloured with white markings. In fact, these horses had the tobiano gene that is phenotypically identifiable as crypto-tobiano, which may give the false impression of having white markings and lead to error when describing a horse. This is an important issue, in particular with regard to the breed standard, which eliminates Hucul horses with white markings from breeding.
Collapse
|
33
|
Frameshift Variant in MFSD12 Explains the Mushroom Coat Color Dilution in Shetland Ponies. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10100826. [PMID: 31635058 PMCID: PMC6827053 DOI: 10.3390/genes10100826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mushroom is a unique coat color phenotype in Shetland Ponies characterized by the dilution of the chestnut coat color to a sepia tone and is hypothesized to be a recessive trait. A genome wide association study (GWAS), utilizing the Affymetrix 670K array (MNEc670k) and a single locus mixed linear model analysis (EMMAX), identified a locus on ECA7 for further investigation (Pcorrected = 2.08 × 10−10). This locus contained a 3 Mb run of homozygosity in the 12 mushroom ponies tested. Analysis of high throughput Illumina sequencing data from one mushroom Shetland pony compared to 87 genomes from horses of various breeds, uncovered a frameshift variant, p.Asp201fs, in the MFSD12 gene encoding the major facilitator superfamily domain containing 12 protein. This variant was perfectly concordant with phenotype in 96 Shetland Ponies (P = 1.15 × 10−22), was identified in the closely related Miniature Horse for which the mushroom phenotype is suspected to occur (fmu = 0.02), and was absent in 252 individuals from seven additional breeds not reported to have the mushroom phenotype. MFSD12 is highly expressed in melanocytes and variants in this gene in humans, mice, and dogs impact pigmentation. Given the role of MFSD12 in melanogenesis, we propose that p.Asp201fs is causal for the dilution observed in mushroom ponies.
Collapse
|
34
|
Beeson SK, Mickelson JR, McCue ME. Exploration of fine-scale recombination rate variation in the domestic horse. Genome Res 2019; 29:1744-1752. [PMID: 31434677 PMCID: PMC6771410 DOI: 10.1101/gr.243311.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Total genetic map length and local recombination landscapes typically vary within and across populations. As a first step to understanding the recombination landscape in the domestic horse, we calculated population recombination rates and identified likely recombination hotspots using approximately 1.8 million SNP genotypes for 485 horses from 32 distinct breeds. The resulting breed-averaged recombination map spans 2.36 Gb and accounts for 2939.07 cM. Recombination hotspots occur once per 23.8 Mb on average and account for ∼9% of the physical map length. Regions with elevated recombination rates in the entire cohort were enriched for genes in pathways involving interaction with the environment: immune system processes (specifically, MHC class I and class II genes), responses to stimuli, and serotonin receptor pathways. We found significant correlations between differences in local recombination rates and population differentiation quantified by F ST Analysis of breed-specific maps revealed thousands of hotspot regions unique to particular breeds, as well as unique "coldspots," regions where a particular breed showed below-average recombination, whereas all other breeds had evidence of a hotspot. Finally, we identified relative enrichment (P = 5.88 × 10-27) for the in silico-predicted recognition motif for equine PR/SET domain 9 (PRDM9) in recombination hotspots. These results indicate that selective pressures and PRDM9 function contribute to variation in recombination rates across the domestic horse genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K Beeson
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
| | - James R Mickelson
- Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
| | - Molly E McCue
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Knickelbein KE, Lassaline ME, Singer-Berk M, Reilly CM, Clode AB, Famula TR, Michau TM, Bellone RR. A missense mutation in damage-specific DNA binding protein 2 is a genetic risk factor for ocular squamous cell carcinoma in Belgian horses. Equine Vet J 2019; 52:34-40. [PMID: 30903710 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Belgian horses are commonly affected with ocular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the most common cancer of the equine eye. A missense mutation in damage-specific DNA binding protein 2 (DDB2 c.1013C>T, p.Thr338Met) has been established as a recessive genetic risk factor for ocular SCC in the Haflinger breed. A sample of Belgian horses with unknown SCC phenotype was shown to possess this variant at a similar frequency to the Haflinger breed. Retrospective studies indicate that chestnut coat colour may predispose to the development of SCC. OBJECTIVES To determine if DDB2 c.1013C>T is a risk factor for ocular SCC in a strictly phenotyped sample of Belgian horses. To investigate associations between coat colour loci genotypes and ocular SCC. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective and prospective case identification, genetic investigation. METHODS Genomic DNA was isolated from blood, hair or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from 25 Belgian horses with histologically confirmed ocular SCC and 18 unaffected Belgian horses. Association testing of 34 single nucleotide variants from 11 genomic loci and genotyping for DDB2 c.1013C>T and coat colour alleles were performed. Exons of DDB2 were sequenced in four cases and two controls. Associations were analysed by Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests and relative risk was calculated. RESULTS Homozygosity for DDB2 c.1013C>T was significantly associated with ocular SCC (P = 7.4 × 10-7 ). Seventy-six per cent of affected horses were homozygous for the variant. Relative risk for homozygous horses developing SCC was 4.0 (P = 1.0 × 10-4 ). Sequencing DDB2 did not identify a variant more concordant with disease phenotype. An association between disease and coat colour loci was not identified. MAIN LIMITATIONS Phenotyping was determined at a single timepoint. Each included horse genotyped as chestnut, so association with this MC1R variant could not be investigated. CONCLUSIONS A missense variant, DDB2 c.1013C>T, p.Thr338Met, is a risk factor for ocular SCC in Belgian horses. A genetic risk test is commercially available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K E Knickelbein
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA.,Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - M E Lassaline
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - M Singer-Berk
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - C M Reilly
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - A B Clode
- New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center, PLLC, Dover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - T R Famula
- Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - T M Michau
- Blue Pearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - R R Bellone
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA.,Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Henkel J, Lafayette C, Brooks SA, Martin K, Patterson-Rosa L, Cook D, Jagannathan V, Leeb T. Whole-genome sequencing reveals a large deletion in the MITF gene in horses with white spotted coat colour and increased risk of deafness. Anim Genet 2019; 50:172-174. [PMID: 30644113 DOI: 10.1111/age.12762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
White spotting phenotypes in horses are highly valued in some breeds. They are quite variable and may range from the common white markings up to completely white horses. EDNRB, KIT, MITF, PAX3 and TRPM1 represent known candidate genes for white spotting phenotypes in horses. For the present study, we investigated an American Paint Horse family segregating a phenotype involving white spotting and blue eyes. Six of eight horses with the white-spotting phenotype were deaf. We obtained whole-genome sequence data from an affected horse and specifically searched for structural variants in the known candidate genes. This analysis revealed a heterozygous ~63-kb deletion spanning exons 6-9 of the MITF gene (chr16:21 503 211-21 566 617). We confirmed the breakpoints of the deletion by PCR and Sanger sequencing. PCR-based genotyping revealed that all eight available affected horses from the family carried the deletion. The finding of an MITF variant fits well with the syndromic phenotype involving both depigmentation and an increased risk for deafness and corresponds to human Waardenburg syndrome type 2A. Our findings will enable more precise genetic testing for depigmentation phenotypes in horses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Henkel
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - S A Brooks
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0910, USA
| | - K Martin
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - L Patterson-Rosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0910, USA
| | - D Cook
- Etalon Inc., Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - V Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
| | - T Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Validation of high-resolution melting analysis as a diagnostic tool for endothelin receptor B mutation in American Paint horses and allele frequency estimation. Mol Cell Probes 2018; 41:52-56. [PMID: 30096357 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Overo lethal white foal syndrome (OLWFS) is a genetic disorder caused by a dinucleotide mutation in the endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) gene leading to the death of affected foals shortly after birth. The use of rapid and reliable genetic testing is imperative for the early diagnosis of the mutation avoiding, therefore, either additional suffering or the production of affected animals. In the present study, we developed and validated a high-resolution melting (HRM) genotyping assay to detect the OLWFS causative mutation, and we also determined the frequency of heterozygotes among American Paint horses in Brazil. The HRM genotyping assay resulted in a high sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. The overall estimated frequency of heterozygotes was 21.6%; however, this frequency increased to 89.5% when considering only overo horses. The HRM assay optimized here was a reliable and suitable method for the detection of the dinucleotide mutation observed in the EDNRB gene resulting in a fast, accurate, and precise diagnostic tool. The causative gene mutation of OLWFS is present in heterozygosity in the American Paint Horse population in Brazil and is highly frequent among overo horses.
Collapse
|
38
|
Druml T, Grilz-Seger G, Neuditschko M, Horna M, Ricard A, Pausch H, Brem G. Novel insights into Sabino1 and splashed white coat color patterns in horses. Anim Genet 2018; 49:249-253. [PMID: 29635692 PMCID: PMC6001536 DOI: 10.1111/age.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Within the framework of genome‐wide analyses using the novel Axiom® genotyping array, we investigated the distribution of two previously described coat color patterns, namely sabino1 (SBI), associated with the KIT gene (KI16+1037A), and splashed white, associated with the PAX3 gene (ECA6:g.11429753C>T; PAX3C70Y), including a total of 899 horses originating from eight different breeds (Achal Theke, Purebred Arabian, Partbred Arabian, Anglo‐Arabian, Shagya Arabian, Haflinger, Lipizzan and Noriker). Based on the data we collected we were able to demonstrate that, besides Quarter horses, the PAX3C70Y allele is also present in Noriker (seven out of 189) and Lipizzan (three out of 329) horses. The SB1 allele was present in three breeds (Haflinger, 14 out of 98; Noriker, four out of 189; Lipizzan one out of 329). Furthermore, we examined the phenotypes of SB1‐ and PAX3C70Y‐carrier horses for their characteristic white spotting patterns. None of the SB1/sb1‐carrier horses met the criteria defining the Sabino1 pattern according to current applied protocols. From 10 heterozygous PAX3C70Y‐carrier horses, two had nearly a splashed white phenotype. The results of this large‐scale experiment on the genetic association of white spotting patterns in horses underline the influence of gene interactions and population differences on complex traits such as Sabino1 and splashed white.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Druml
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - M Neuditschko
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210, Vienna, Austria.,Agroscope, Swiss National Stud Farm, Les Longs Prés, CH-1580, Avenches, Switzerland
| | - M Horna
- Department of Animal Husbandry, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76, Nitra, Slovak Republic
| | - A Ricard
- UMR 1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Domaine de Vilvert, Bat 211, 78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation, Recherche et Innovation, La Jumenterie du Pin, 61310, Exmes, France
| | - H Pausch
- Animal Genomics, ETH Zürich, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - G Brem
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Sciences Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Romanenko SA, Serdyukova NA, Perelman PL, Pavlova SV, Bulatova NS, Golenishchev FN, Stanyon R, Graphodatsky AS. Intrachromosomal Rearrangements in Rodents from the Perspective of Comparative Region-Specific Painting. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E215. [PMID: 28867774 PMCID: PMC5615349 DOI: 10.3390/genes8090215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
It has long been hypothesized that chromosomal rearrangements play a central role in different evolutionary processes, particularly in speciation and adaptation. Interchromosomal rearrangements have been extensively mapped using chromosome painting. However, intrachromosomal rearrangements have only been described using molecular cytogenetics in a limited number of mammals, including a few rodent species. This situation is unfortunate because intrachromosomal rearrangements are more abundant than interchromosomal rearrangements and probably contain essential phylogenomic information. Significant progress in the detection of intrachromosomal rearrangement is now possible, due to recent advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics. We investigated the level of intrachromosomal rearrangement in the Arvicolinae subfamily, a species-rich taxon characterized by very high rate of karyotype evolution. We made a set of region specific probes by microdissection for a single syntenic region represented by the p-arm of chromosome 1 of Alexandromys oeconomus, and hybridized the probes onto the chromosomes of four arvicolines (Microtus agrestis, Microtus arvalis, Myodes rutilus, and Dicrostonyx torquatus). These experiments allowed us to show the intrachromosomal rearrangements in the subfamily at a significantly higher level of resolution than previously described. We found a number of paracentric inversions in the karyotypes of M. agrestis and M. rutilus, as well as multiple inversions and a centromere shift in the karyotype of M. arvalis. We propose that during karyotype evolution, arvicolines underwent a significant number of complex intrachromosomal rearrangements that were not previously detected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana A Romanenko
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
- Synthetic Biological Unit, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
| | - Natalya A Serdyukova
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
| | - Polina L Perelman
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
- Synthetic Biological Unit, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
| | - Svetlana V Pavlova
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Nina S Bulatova
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia.
| | | | - Roscoe Stanyon
- Department of Biology, Anthropology Laboratories, University of Florence, 50122 Florence, Italy.
| | - Alexander S Graphodatsky
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
- Synthetic Biological Unit, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Kim NY, Bhuiyan MSA, Chae HS, Baek KS, Son JK, Shin SM, Woo JH, Park SH, Lee SH. Genome-wide association study for tobiano spotting coat color in Korean Jeju × Thoroughbred horse population. Anim Genet 2017; 48:728-729. [PMID: 28850680 DOI: 10.1111/age.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nam Young Kim
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | | | - Hyun Seok Chae
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | - Kwang Soo Baek
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | - Jun Kyu Son
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | - Sang Min Shin
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | - Jae Hoon Woo
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | - Seol Hwa Park
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 593-50, Sanrokbuk-ro, Jeju, 63242, Korea
| | - Seung Hwan Lee
- Division of Animal & Dairy Science, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34134, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
A structural variant in the 5'-flanking region of the TWIST2 gene affects melanocyte development in belted cattle. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180170. [PMID: 28658273 PMCID: PMC5489250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Belted cattle have a circular belt of unpigmented hair and skin around their midsection. The belt is inherited as a monogenic autosomal dominant trait. We mapped the causative variant to a 37 kb segment on bovine chromosome 3. Whole genome sequence data of 2 belted and 130 control cattle yielded only one private genetic variant in the critical interval in the two belted animals. The belt-associated variant was a copy number variant (CNV) involving the quadruplication of a 6 kb non-coding sequence located approximately 16 kb upstream of the TWIST2 gene. Increased copy numbers at this CNV were strongly associated with the belt phenotype in a cohort of 333 cases and 1322 controls. We hypothesized that the CNV causes aberrant expression of TWIST2 during neural crest development, which might negatively affect melanoblasts. Functional studies showed that ectopic expression of bovine TWIST2 in neural crest in transgenic zebrafish led to a decrease in melanocyte numbers. Our results thus implicate an unsuspected involvement of TWIST2 in regulating pigmentation and reveal a non-coding CNV underlying a captivating Mendelian character.
Collapse
|
42
|
Dürig N, Jude R, Holl H, Brooks SA, Lafayette C, Jagannathan V, Leeb T. Whole genome sequencing reveals a novel deletion variant in the KIT
gene in horses with white spotted coat colour phenotypes. Anim Genet 2017; 48:483-485. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- N. Dürig
- Vetsuisse Faculty; Institute of Genetics; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| | - R. Jude
- Vetsuisse Faculty; Institute of Genetics; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- RJC; 53919 Weilerswist Germany
| | - H. Holl
- Department of Animal Sciences; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32611-0910 USA
- Etalon Inc.; Menlo Park CA 94025 USA
| | - S. A. Brooks
- Department of Animal Sciences; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32611-0910 USA
| | | | - V. Jagannathan
- Vetsuisse Faculty; Institute of Genetics; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| | - T. Leeb
- Vetsuisse Faculty; Institute of Genetics; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Volpato G, Dioli M, Di Nardo A. Piebald Camels. PASTORALISM : RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE 2017; 7:3. [PMID: 32269746 PMCID: PMC7114962 DOI: 10.1186/s13570-017-0075-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Animal breeds are the diverse outcome of the thousands-year-long process of livestock domestication. Many of these breeds are piebald, resulting from the artificial selection by pastoralists of animals bearing a genetic condition known as leucism, and selected for their productive, behavioural, or aesthetical traits. Piebald dromedary camels have not been studied or discussed before, and their same existence is often overlooked. Based on fieldwork in Western Sahara, direct observations across Northern and East Africa and the Middle East, and a literature review, we address the morphological and behavioural traits, geographical distribution, taxonomy, and material and cultural importance of piebald (painted) camels. They are a hundreds-year-old camel breed used for caravans, as mounts, and for aesthetical and cultural reasons across Sudan, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara, and Morocco. While they are increasingly bred out of a pastoral context for tourism and entertainment in the Canary Islands, mainland Europe, and the USA, in part of their original African range, piebald camels are under threat due to wars, droughts, and demise of pastoral livelihoods. More research is needed about these 'beautiful and dignified' animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Volpato
- Center for Integrative Conservation Research, University of Georgia, Athens, GA USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Wutke S, Benecke N, Sandoval-Castellanos E, Döhle HJ, Friederich S, Gonzalez J, Hallsson JH, Hofreiter M, Lõugas L, Magnell O, Morales-Muniz A, Orlando L, Pálsdóttir AH, Reissmann M, Ruttkay M, Trinks A, Ludwig A. Spotted phenotypes in horses lost attractiveness in the Middle Ages. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38548. [PMID: 27924839 PMCID: PMC5141471 DOI: 10.1038/srep38548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Horses have been valued for their diversity of coat colour since prehistoric times; this is especially the case since their domestication in the Caspian steppe in ~3,500 BC. Although we can assume that human preferences were not constant, we have only anecdotal information about how domestic horses were influenced by humans. Our results from genotype analyses show a significant increase in spotted coats in early domestic horses (Copper Age to Iron Age). In contrast, medieval horses carried significantly fewer alleles for these phenotypes, whereas solid phenotypes (i.e., chestnut) became dominant. This shift may have been supported because of (i) pleiotropic disadvantages, (ii) a reduced need to separate domestic horses from their wild counterparts, (iii) a lower religious prestige, or (iv) novel developments in weaponry. These scenarios may have acted alone or in combination. However, the dominance of chestnut is a remarkable feature of the medieval horse population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Wutke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Evolutionary Genetics, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Benecke
- German Archaeological Institute, Department of Natural Sciences, Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Hans-Jürgen Döhle
- Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt - Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, 06114 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Susanne Friederich
- Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt - Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte, 06114 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Javier Gonzalez
- University of Potsdam, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jón Hallsteinn Hallsson
- The Agricultural University of Iceland, Faculty of Land and Animal Resources, IS-112 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Michael Hofreiter
- University of Potsdam, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Lembi Lõugas
- Archaeological Research Collection, Tallinn University, Rüütli 10, 10130 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Ola Magnell
- National Historical Museums, Contract Archaeology, 226 60 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Ludovic Orlando
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1350K Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Albína Hulda Pálsdóttir
- The Agricultural University of Iceland, Faculty of Land and Animal Resources, IS-112 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Monika Reissmann
- Humboldt University Berlin, Faculty of Life Sciences, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Matej Ruttkay
- Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology, 949 21 Nitra, Slovak Republic
| | - Alexandra Trinks
- University of Potsdam, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Arne Ludwig
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Evolutionary Genetics, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Dürig N, Jude R, Jagannathan V, Leeb T. A novelMITFvariant in a white American Standardbred foal. Anim Genet 2016; 48:123-124. [PMID: 27592871 DOI: 10.1111/age.12484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Dürig
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| | - Rony Jude
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- RJC; 53919 Weilerswist Germany
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Menzi F, Keller I, Reber I, Beck J, Brenig B, Schütz E, Leeb T, Drögemüller C. Genomic amplification of the caprine EDNRA locus might lead to a dose dependent loss of pigmentation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28438. [PMID: 27329507 PMCID: PMC4916431 DOI: 10.1038/srep28438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The South African Boer goat displays a characteristic white spotting phenotype, in which the pigment is limited to the head. Exploiting the existing phenotype variation within the breed, we mapped the locus causing this white spotting phenotype to chromosome 17 by genome wide association. Subsequent whole genome sequencing identified a 1 Mb copy number variant (CNV) harboring 5 genes including EDNRA. The analysis of 358 Boer goats revealed 3 alleles with one, two, and three copies of this CNV. The copy number is correlated with the degree of white spotting in goats. We propose a hypothesis that ectopic overexpression of a mutant EDNRA scavenges EDN3 required for EDNRB signaling and normal melanocyte development and thus likely lead to an absence of melanocytes in the non-pigmented body areas of Boer goats. Our findings demonstrate the value of domestic animals as reservoir of unique mutants and for identifying a precisely defined functional CNV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Menzi
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Irene Keller
- Department of Clinical Research and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 35, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Irene Reber
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Julia Beck
- Chronix Biomedical, Goetheallee 8, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bertram Brenig
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ekkehard Schütz
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Burckhardtweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3001 Bern, Switzerland.,Dermfocus, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3001 Bern, Switzerland.,Dermfocus, University of Bern, Bremgartenstrasse 109a, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Teri Lear, PhD (1951-2016). Cytogenet Genome Res 2016; 149:237-240. [DOI: 10.1159/000450535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
|
48
|
Holl HM, Brooks SA, Archer S, Brown K, Malvick J, Penedo MCT, Bellone RR. Variant in theRFWD3gene associated withPATN1, a modifier of leopard complex spotting. Anim Genet 2015; 47:91-101. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- H. M. Holl
- Department of Animal Science; Cornell University; Ithaca NY 14853 USA
| | - S. A. Brooks
- Department of Animal Science; Cornell University; Ithaca NY 14853 USA
| | | | - K. Brown
- Department of Biology; University of Tampa; Tampa FL 33606 USA
| | - J. Malvick
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California-Davis; Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - M. C. T. Penedo
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California-Davis; Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - R. R. Bellone
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction; Veterinary Genetics Laboratory; School of Veterinary Medicine; University of California-Davis; Davis CA 95616 USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Dobigny G, Britton-Davidian J, Robinson TJ. Chromosomal polymorphism in mammals: an evolutionary perspective. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:1-21. [PMID: 26234165 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Although chromosome rearrangements (CRs) are central to studies of genome evolution, our understanding of the evolutionary consequences of the early stages of karyotypic differentiation (i.e. polymorphism), especially the non-meiotic impacts, is surprisingly limited. We review the available data on chromosomal polymorphisms in mammals so as to identify taxa that hold promise for developing a more comprehensive understanding of chromosomal change. In doing so, we address several key questions: (i) to what extent are mammalian karyotypes polymorphic, and what types of rearrangements are principally involved? (ii) Are some mammalian lineages more prone to chromosomal polymorphism than others? More specifically, do (karyotypically) polymorphic mammalian species belong to lineages that are also characterized by past, extensive karyotype repatterning? (iii) How long can chromosomal polymorphisms persist in mammals? We discuss the evolutionary implications of these questions and propose several research avenues that may shed light on the role of chromosome change in the diversification of mammalian populations and species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gauthier Dobigny
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (UMR IRD-INRA-Cirad-Montpellier SupAgro), Campus International de Baillarguet, CS30016, 34988, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France
| | - Janice Britton-Davidian
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Cc065, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Terence J Robinson
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch, 7062, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Haase B, Jagannathan V, Rieder S, Leeb T. A novelKITvariant in an Icelandic horse with white-spotted coat colour. Anim Genet 2015; 46:466. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Haase
- Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Sydney; Sydney 2006 NSW Australia
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| | - Stefan Rieder
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Agroscope; Swiss National Stud Farm; 1580 Avenches Switzerland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics; Vetsuisse Faculty; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- DermFocus; University of Bern; 3001 Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Competence Center of Animal Breeding and Genetics; University of Bern; Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL & Agroscope; 3001 Bern Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|