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Becker GM, Thorne JW, Burke JM, Lewis RM, Notter DR, Morgan JLM, Schauer CS, Stewart WC, Redden RR, Murdoch BM. Genetic diversity of United States Rambouillet, Katahdin and Dorper sheep. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:56. [PMID: 39080565 PMCID: PMC11290166 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-024-00905-7] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Managing genetic diversity is critically important for maintaining species fitness. Excessive homozygosity caused by the loss of genetic diversity can have detrimental effects on the reproduction and production performance of a breed. Analysis of genetic diversity can facilitate the identification of signatures of selection which may contribute to the specific characteristics regarding the health, production and physical appearance of a breed or population. In this study, breeds with well-characterized traits such as fine wool production (Rambouillet, N = 745), parasite resistance (Katahdin, N = 581) and environmental hardiness (Dorper, N = 265) were evaluated for inbreeding, effective population size (Ne), runs of homozygosity (ROH) and Wright's fixation index (FST) outlier approach to identify differential signatures of selection at 36,113 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RESULTS Katahdin sheep had the largest current Ne at the most recent generation estimated with both the GONe and NeEstimator software. The most highly conserved ROH Island was identified in Rambouillet with a signature of selection on chromosome 6 containing 202 SNPs called in an ROH in 50 to 94% of the individuals. This region contained the DCAF16, LCORL and NCAPG genes that have been previously reported to be under selection and have biological roles related to milk production and growth traits. The outlier regions identified through the FST comparisons of Katahdin with Rambouillet and Dorper contained genes with known roles in milk production and mastitis resistance or susceptibility, and the FST comparisons of Rambouillet with Katahdin and Dorper identified genes related to wool growth, suggesting these traits have been under natural or artificial selection pressure in these populations. Genes involved in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways were identified in all FST breed comparisons, which indicates the presence of allelic diversity between these breeds in genomic regions controlling cytokine signaling mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS In this paper, we describe signatures of selection within diverse and economically important U.S. sheep breeds. The genes contained within these signatures are proposed for further study to understand their relevance to biological traits and improve understanding of breed diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle M Becker
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Jacob W Thorne
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University, San Angelo, TX, USA
| | - Joan M Burke
- USDA, ARS, Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, Booneville, AR, USA
| | - Ronald M Lewis
- Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - David R Notter
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | | | - Christopher S Schauer
- Hettinger Research Extension Center, North Dakota State University, Hettinger, ND, USA
| | - Whit C Stewart
- Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - R R Redden
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University, San Angelo, TX, USA
| | - Brenda M Murdoch
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Science, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
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Fonseca PAS, Suárez-Vega A, Arranz JJ, Gutiérrez-Gil B. Integration of selective sweeps across the sheep genome: understanding the relationship between production and adaptation traits. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:40. [PMID: 38773423 PMCID: PMC11106937 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-024-00910-w] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Livestock populations are under constant selective pressure for higher productivity levels for different selective purposes. This pressure results in the selection of animals with unique adaptive and production traits. The study of genomic regions associated with these unique characteristics has the potential to improve biological knowledge regarding the adaptive process and how it is connected to production levels and resilience, which is the ability of an animal to adapt to stress or an imbalance in homeostasis. Sheep is a species that has been subjected to several natural and artificial selective pressures during its history, resulting in a highly specialized species for production and adaptation to challenging environments. Here, the data from multiple studies that aim at mapping selective sweeps across the sheep genome associated with production and adaptation traits were integrated to identify confirmed selective sweeps (CSS). RESULTS In total, 37 studies were used to identify 518 CSS across the sheep genome, which were classified as production (147 prodCSS) and adaptation (219 adapCSS) CSS based on the frequency of each type of associated study. The genes within the CSS were associated with relevant biological processes for adaptation and production. For example, for adapCSS, the associated genes were related to the control of seasonality, circadian rhythm, and thermoregulation. On the other hand, genes associated with prodCSS were related to the control of feeding behaviour, reproduction, and cellular differentiation. In addition, genes harbouring both prodCSS and adapCSS showed an interesting association with lipid metabolism, suggesting a potential role of this process in the regulation of pleiotropic effects between these classes of traits. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the genetic link between productivity and adaptability in sheep breeds. This information may provide insights into the genetic mechanisms that underlie undesirable genetic correlations between these two groups of traits and pave the way for a better understanding of resilience as a positive ability to respond to environmental stressors, where the negative effects on production level are minimized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A S Fonseca
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana S/N, 24071, León, Spain
| | - Aroa Suárez-Vega
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana S/N, 24071, León, Spain
| | - Juan J Arranz
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana S/N, 24071, León, Spain
| | - Beatriz Gutiérrez-Gil
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana S/N, 24071, León, Spain.
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Xia X, Qu K, Wang Y, Sinding MHS, Wang F, Hanif Q, Ahmed Z, Lenstra JA, Han J, Lei C, Chen N. Global dispersal and adaptive evolution of domestic cattle: a genomic perspective. STRESS BIOLOGY 2023; 3:8. [PMID: 37676580 PMCID: PMC10441868 DOI: 10.1007/s44154-023-00085-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Domestic cattle have spread across the globe and inhabit variable and unpredictable environments. They have been exposed to a plethora of selective pressures and have adapted to a variety of local ecological and management conditions, including UV exposure, diseases, and stall-feeding systems. These selective pressures have resulted in unique and important phenotypic and genetic differences among modern cattle breeds/populations. Ongoing efforts to sequence the genomes of local and commercial cattle breeds/populations, along with the growing availability of ancient bovid DNA data, have significantly advanced our understanding of the genomic architecture, recent evolution of complex traits, common diseases, and local adaptation in cattle. Here, we review the origin and spread of domestic cattle and illustrate the environmental adaptations of local cattle breeds/populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Xia
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Kaixing Qu
- Academy of Science and Technology, Chuxiong Normal University, Chuxiong, 675000, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Mikkel-Holger S Sinding
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
| | - Fuwen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Quratulain Hanif
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Zulfiqar Ahmed
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Johannes A Lenstra
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jianlin Han
- Livestock Genetic Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
- CAAS-ILRI Joint Laboratory On Livestock and Forage Genetic Resources, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Chuzhao Lei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
| | - Ningbo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
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4
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Chessari G, Criscione A, Tolone M, Bordonaro S, Rizzuto I, Riggio S, Macaluso V, Moscarelli A, Portolano B, Sardina MT, Mastrangelo S. High-density SNP markers elucidate the genetic divergence and population structure of Noticiana sheep breed in the Mediterranean context. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1127354. [PMID: 37205231 PMCID: PMC10185747 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1127354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Among livestock species, sheep have played an early major role in the Mediterranean area. Italy has a long history of sheep breeding and, despite a dramatic contraction in numbers, still raise several local populations that may represent a unique source of genetic diversity. The Noticiana is a breed of the south-eastern part of Sicily appreciated both for its dairy products and for its resistance to harsh environment. In this study, the high-density Illumina Ovine SNP600K BeadChip array was used for the first genome-wide characterization of 48 individuals of Noticiana sheep to investigate its diversity, the genome structure and the relationship within the context of worldwide and Italian breeds. Moreover, the runs of homozygosity (ROH) pattern and the pairwise FST-outliers were examined. Noticiana reported moderate levels of genetic diversity. The high percentage of short and medium length ROH segments (93% under 4 Mb) is indicative of a within breed relatedness dating back to ancient times, despite the absence of management for the mating plans and the reduced population size. In the worldwide context, the Southern Italian, Spanish and Albanian breeds overlapped in a macro cluster which also included the Noticiana sheep. The results highlighted ancestral genetic components of Noticiana shared with Comisana breed, and showed the clear separation from the other Italian sheep. This is likely the consequence of the combined effects of genetic drift, small population size and reproductive isolation. ROH islands and FST-outliers approaches in Noticiana identified genes and QTLs involved in milk and meat production, as well as related to the local adaptation, and therefore are consistent with the phenotypic traits of the studied breed. Although a wider sampling could be useful to deepen the genomic survey on Noticiana, these results represent a crucial starting point for the characterization of an important local genetic resource, with a view of supporting the local economy and preserving the biodiversity of the sheep species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Chessari
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Andrea Criscione
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Tolone
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Bordonaro
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Ilaria Rizzuto
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Silvia Riggio
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vito Macaluso
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Angelo Moscarelli
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Baldassare Portolano
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Sardina
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- *Correspondence: Salvatore Mastrangelo,
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5
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Kalds P, Zhou S, Gao Y, Cai B, Huang S, Chen Y, Wang X. Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes. Genet Sel Evol 2022; 54:61. [PMID: 36085023 PMCID: PMC9463822 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-022-00753-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After domestication, the evolution of phenotypically-varied sheep breeds has generated rich biodiversity. This wide phenotypic variation arises as a result of hidden genomic changes that range from a single nucleotide to several thousands of nucleotides. Thus, it is of interest and significance to reveal and understand the genomic changes underlying the phenotypic variation of sheep breeds in order to drive selection towards economically important traits. REVIEW Various traits contribute to the emergence of variation in sheep phenotypic characteristics, including coat color, horns, tail, wool, ears, udder, vertebrae, among others. The genes that determine most of these phenotypic traits have been investigated, which has generated knowledge regarding the genetic determinism of several agriculturally-relevant traits in sheep. In this review, we discuss the genomic knowledge that has emerged in the past few decades regarding the phenotypic traits in sheep, and our ultimate aim is to encourage its practical application in sheep breeding. In addition, in order to expand the current understanding of the sheep genome, we shed light on research gaps that require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS Although significant research efforts have been conducted in the past few decades, several aspects of the sheep genome remain unexplored. For the full utilization of the current knowledge of the sheep genome, a wide practical application is still required in order to boost sheep productive performance and contribute to the generation of improved sheep breeds. The accumulated knowledge on the sheep genome will help advance and strengthen sheep breeding programs to face future challenges in the sector, such as climate change, global human population growth, and the increasing demand for products of animal origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kalds
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, 45511 Egypt
| | - Shiwei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Yawei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Bei Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Yulin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, 712100 China
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6
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Cesarani A, Gaspa G, Correddu F, Dimauro C, Macciotta NPP. Unravelling the effect of environment on the genome of Sarda breed ewes using Runs of Homozygosity. J Anim Breed Genet 2022; 139:292-306. [PMID: 34984736 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Natural adaptation and artificial selection have shaped the genome of modern livestock breeds. Among SNP-based metrics that are used to detect signatures of selection at genome-wide level, runs of homozygosity (ROH) are getting increasing popularity. In this paper, ROH distribution and features of a sample of 823 Sarda breed ewes farmed at different levels of altitude are analysed to investigate the effect of the environment on the patterns of homozygosity. A total of 46,829 (33,087 unique) ROH were detected. OAR2 exhibited the largest average number of ROH per animal. The most frequent ROH (OAR27, 38.9-44.2 Mb) was shared by 327. ROH length was statistically affected (p < 0.001) by both the altitude and temperature of the place where the flock was located. The highest probability of a SNP falling in a ROH was observed for hill ewes, whereas the smallest one for mountain. A total of 457 SNP exceeded the 99th percentile of the ROH count per SNP distribution and were considered significant. These markers mapped in eight chromosomes and they clustered into 17 ROH islands, where 80 candidate genes were mapped. Results of this study highlighted differences in the ROH distribution and features among sheep farmed in flocks located at different levels of altitude, confirming the role of environmental adaptability in shaping the genome of this breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Cesarani
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.,Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Giustino Gaspa
- Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Alimentary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Fabio Correddu
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Corrado Dimauro
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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7
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Bolormaa S, Swan AA, Stothard P, Khansefid M, Moghaddar N, Duijvesteijn N, van der Werf JHJ, Daetwyler HD, MacLeod IM. A conditional multi-trait sequence GWAS discovers pleiotropic candidate genes and variants for sheep wool, skin wrinkle and breech cover traits. Genet Sel Evol 2021; 53:58. [PMID: 34238208 PMCID: PMC8268212 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-021-00651-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Imputation to whole-genome sequence is now possible in large sheep populations. It is therefore of interest to use this data in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate putative causal variants and genes that underpin economically important traits. Merino wool is globally sought after for luxury fabrics, but some key wool quality attributes are unfavourably correlated with the characteristic skin wrinkle of Merinos. In turn, skin wrinkle is strongly linked to susceptibility to “fly strike” (Cutaneous myiasis), which is a major welfare issue. Here, we use whole-genome sequence data in a multi-trait GWAS to identify pleiotropic putative causal variants and genes associated with changes in key wool traits and skin wrinkle. Results A stepwise conditional multi-trait GWAS (CM-GWAS) identified putative causal variants and related genes from 178 independent quantitative trait loci (QTL) of 16 wool and skin wrinkle traits, measured on up to 7218 Merino sheep with 31 million imputed whole-genome sequence (WGS) genotypes. Novel candidate gene findings included the MAT1A gene that encodes an enzyme involved in the sulphur metabolism pathway critical to production of wool proteins, and the ESRP1 gene. We also discovered a significant wrinkle variant upstream of the HAS2 gene, which in dogs is associated with the exaggerated skin folds in the Shar-Pei breed. Conclusions The wool and skin wrinkle traits studied here appear to be highly polygenic with many putative candidate variants showing considerable pleiotropy. Our CM-GWAS identified many highly plausible candidate genes for wool traits as well as breech wrinkle and breech area wool cover. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12711-021-00651-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunduimijid Bolormaa
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia. .,Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
| | - Andrew A Swan
- Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.,Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Paul Stothard
- Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Majid Khansefid
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Nasir Moghaddar
- Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.,School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Naomi Duijvesteijn
- Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.,Hendrix Genetics, Boxmeer, The Netherlands
| | - Julius H J van der Werf
- Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.,School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Hans D Daetwyler
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Iona M MacLeod
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, 3083, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
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8
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Ahmad SF, Mehrotra A, Charles S, Ganai NA. Analysis of selection signatures reveals important insights into the adaptability of high-altitude Indian sheep breed Changthangi. Gene 2021; 799:145809. [PMID: 34224833 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Changthangi is a high-altitude sheep breed of India that is adapted to cold and hypoxic climate of Himalayas. In the present study, we analysed population structure of Changthangi and contrasted it with selected Indian and European commercial sheep breeds to detect genomic regions under positive selection. The Illumina OvineSNP50v1 genotype data on 292 animals from seven different sheep breeds i.e., Changthangi (n = 29), Garole (n = 26), Deccani (n = 24), Tibetan (n = 37), Rambouillet (n = 102) and Australian Merino (n = 50) was used. European Mouflon (n = 24) was used as an out-group for studying the stratification and phylogenetic lineage. While the principal component analysis (PCA) revealed Changthangi to cluster with Tibetan sheep; TREEMIX and ADMIXTURE results also detected the introgression of lowland Indian sheep inheritance in Changthangi. Changthangi sheep were compared with other breed groups as reference i.e., commercial (Australian Merino and Rambouillet), Indian (Deccani, Garole and Tibetan) and breeds inhabiting plains (Australian Merino, Rambouillet, Deccani and Garole). Genomic comparisons of Changthangi using cross population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) showed multiple functional regions present on Ovis aries (Oar) chromosomes 2, 3, 6 and 18 to be under selection in Changthangi sheep. These regions were related with adaptation to climatic and hypoxic stressors, fleece characteristics and functioning of immune and reproductive systems. UCP genes, associated with adaptation to cold and hypoxic conditions, were the main loci under positive selection in Changthangi sheep population. The selection signals in Indian and European commercial sheep breeds were mainly associated with body weight and carcass traits. Furthermore, selection signals found in different comparisons were found to be part of different quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with important traits in different breed classes. The genes present in these regions are suitable candidates for future studies on the genetic mechanisms underlying high-altitude adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Firdous Ahmad
- ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Rani, Guwahati 781131, Assam, India; ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly 243122, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Arnav Mehrotra
- ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly 243122, Uttar Pradesh, India; Animal Genomics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Sona Charles
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode 673012, Kerala, India.
| | - Nazir Ahmad Ganai
- Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar 190006, J&K, India.
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9
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Zhao B, Luo H, Huang X, Wei C, Di J, Tian Y, Fu X, Li B, Liu GE, Fang L, Zhang S, Tian K. Integration of a single-step genome-wide association study with a multi-tissue transcriptome analysis provides novel insights into the genetic basis of wool and weight traits in sheep. Genet Sel Evol 2021; 53:56. [PMID: 34193030 PMCID: PMC8247193 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-021-00649-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic improvement of wool and growth traits is a major goal in the sheep industry, but their underlying genetic architecture remains elusive. To improve our understanding of these mechanisms, we conducted a weighted single-step genome-wide association study (WssGWAS) and then integrated the results with large-scale transcriptome data for five wool traits and one growth trait in Merino sheep: mean fibre diameter (MFD), coefficient of variation of the fibre diameter (CVFD), crimp number (CN), mean staple length (MSL), greasy fleece weight (GFW), and live weight (LW). RESULTS Our dataset comprised 7135 individuals with phenotype data, among which 1217 had high-density (HD) genotype data (n = 372,534). The genotypes of 707 of these animals were imputed from the Illumina Ovine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 54 BeadChip to the HD Array. The heritability of these traits ranged from 0.05 (CVFD) to 0.36 (MFD), and between-trait genetic correlations ranged from - 0.44 (CN vs. LW) to 0.77 (GFW vs. LW). By integrating the GWAS signals with RNA-seq data from 500 samples (representing 87 tissue types from 16 animals), we detected tissues that were relevant to each of the six traits, e.g. liver, muscle and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract were the most relevant tissues for LW, and leukocytes and macrophages were the most relevant cells for CN. For the six traits, 54 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified covering 81 candidate genes on 21 ovine autosomes. Multiple candidate genes showed strong tissue-specific expression, e.g. BNC1 (associated with MFD) and CHRNB1 (LW) were specifically expressed in skin and muscle, respectively. By conducting phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) in humans, we found that orthologues of several of these candidate genes were significantly (FDR < 0.05) associated with similar traits in humans, e.g. BNC1 was significantly associated with MFD in sheep and with hair colour in humans, and CHRNB1 was significantly associated with LW in sheep and with body mass index in humans. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide novel insights into the biological and genetic mechanisms underlying wool and growth traits, and thus will contribute to the genetic improvement and gene mapping of complex traits in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingru Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hanpeng Luo
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xixia Huang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Chen Wei
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Jiang Di
- Key Laboratory of Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of the Fine Wool Sheep & Cashmere Goat in Xinjiang, Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Yuezhen Tian
- Key Laboratory of Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of the Fine Wool Sheep & Cashmere Goat in Xinjiang, Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Xuefeng Fu
- Key Laboratory of Genetics Breeding and Reproduction of the Fine Wool Sheep & Cashmere Goat in Xinjiang, Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Bingjie Li
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Roslin Institute Building, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - George E Liu
- Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Lingzhao Fang
- MRC Human Genetics Unit at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Shengli Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Kechuan Tian
- Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China.
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10
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Rodríguez-Ramilo S, Reverter A, Legarra A. Islands of runs of homozygosity indicate selection signatures in Ovis aries 6 (OAR6) of French dairy sheep. JDS COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 2:132-136. [PMID: 36339500 PMCID: PMC9623631 DOI: 10.3168/jdsc.2020-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The presence of runs of homozygosity is not randomly distributed across the genome. Islands of runs of homozygosity may be the result of selection pressure. Concordance existed between islands of runs of homozygosity and selection signatures on OAR6. Candidate genes NCAPG and LCORL on OAR6 have agricultural and adaptive importance.
Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are contiguous homozygous segments of the genome where the haplotypes inherited from each parent are identical. The occurrence of ROH is not randomly distributed across the genome, and ROH islands across many animals may be the result of selective pressure. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that the presence of ROH islands may be indicative of selection signatures in French dairy sheep breeds and subpopulations. The data set available included animals (artificial insemination males) from various breeds and subpopulations: Basco-Béarnaise breed (321 individuals), Manech Tête Noire breed (329 individuals), Manech Tête Rousse breed (1,906 individuals), Lacaune Confederation subpopulation (3,030 individuals), and Lacaune Ovitest subpopulation (3,114 individuals). Animals were genotyped with the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip. After applying filtering criteria, the genomic data included 38,287 autosomal SNP distributed across 26 chromosomes and 8,700 individuals. One island of ROH was detected on OAR6 in the same genomic position across animals (between 30 and 40 Mb). Global Wright's differentiation coefficients for 2 SNP within this ROH island were high (0.67–0.68). The linkage disequilibrium between both SNP was also elevated (0.98). The divergence in allele frequencies in those SNP grouped Basco-Béarnaise, Manech Tête Noire, and Manech Tête Rousse breeds in one cluster and Lacaune Confederation and Lacaune Ovitest subpopulations in another cluster. The closest candidate genes are NCAPG and LCORL, which have been reported to be under positive selection and suggested to control weight and height in sheep. The preliminary identification of ROH suggests the presence of selection. However, for the identification of potential candidate genes, ROH detection should be combined with other approaches to improve mapping accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.T. Rodríguez-Ramilo
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, F-31326, Castanet Tolosan, France
- Corresponding author
| | - A. Reverter
- CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - A. Legarra
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, F-31326, Castanet Tolosan, France
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11
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Mei C, Gui L, Hong J, Raza SHA, Aorigele C, Tian W, Garcia M, Xin Y, Yang W, Zhang S, Zan L. Insights into adaption and growth evolution: a comparative genomics study on two distinct cattle breeds from Northern and Southern China. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 23:959-967. [PMID: 33614243 PMCID: PMC7868925 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mongolian cattle (MG, Bos taurus) and Minnan cattle (MN, Bos indicus) are two different breeds of Chinese indigenous cattle, representing North type and South type, respectively. However, their value and potential have not yet been discovered at the genomic level. In this study, 26 individuals of MN and MG were sequenced for the first time at an average of 13.9- and 12.8-fold, respectively. Large numbers of different variations were identified. In addition, the analyses of phylogenetic and population structure showed that these two cattle breeds are distinct from each other, and results of linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that these two cattle breeds have undergone various degrees of intense natural or artificial selection. Subsequently, 496 and 306 potential selected genes (PSRs) were obtained in MN and MG, containing 1,096 and 529 potential selected genes (PSGs), respectively. These PSGs, together with the analyzed copy number variation (CNV)-related genes, showed potential relations with their phenotypic characteristics, including environmental adaptability (e.g., DVL2, HSPA4, CDHR4), feed efficiency (e.g., R3HDM1, PLAG1, XKR4), and meat/milk production (e.g., PDHB, LEMD3, APOF). The results of this study help to gain new insights into the genetic characteristics of two distinct cattle breeds and will contribute to future cattle breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chugang Mei
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.,National Beef Cattle Improvement Center, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Linsheng Gui
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.,Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Jieyun Hong
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.,Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650031, China
| | | | - Chen Aorigele
- Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010000, China
| | - Wanqiang Tian
- Yangling Vocational & Technical College, Yangling 712100, China
| | | | - Yaping Xin
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wucai Yang
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Song Zhang
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Linsen Zan
- Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.,National Beef Cattle Improvement Center, Yangling 712100, China
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12
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Odintsov Vaintrub M, Levit H, Chincarini M, Fusaro I, Giammarco M, Vignola G. Review: Precision livestock farming, automats and new technologies: possible applications in extensive dairy sheep farming. Animal 2020; 15:100143. [PMID: 33518488 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2020.100143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies are becoming increasingly common in modern agriculture. They are frequently integrated with other new technologies in order to improve human-livestock interactions, productivity and economical sustainability of modern farms. New systems are constantly being developed for concentrated farming operations as well as for extensive and pasture-based farming systems. The development of technologies for grazing animals is of particular interest for the Mediterranean extensive sheep farming sector. Dairy sheep farming is a typical production system of the area linked to its historical and cultural traditions. The area provides roughly 40% of the world sheep milk, having 27% of the milk-producing ewes. Developed countries of the area (France, Italy, Greece and Spain - FIGS) have highly specialized production systems improved through animal selection, feeding techniques and intensification of production. However, extensive systems are still practiced alongside intensive ones due to their lower input costs and better resilience to market fluctuations. In the current article, we evaluate possible PLF systems and their suitability to be incorporated in extensive dairy sheep farming as practiced in the FIGS countries. Available products include: electronic identification systems (now mandatory in the EU) such as ear tags, ruminal boluses and sub-cutaneous radio-frequency identification; on-animal sensors such as accelerometers, global positioning systems and social activity loggers; and stationary management systems such as walk-over-weights, automatic drafter (AD), virtual fencing and milking parlour-related technologies. The systems were considered according to their suitability for the management and business model common in dairy sheep farming. However, adoption of new technologies does not take place immediately in small and medium scale extensive farming. As sheep farmers usually belong to more conservative technology consumers, characterized by an average age of 60 and a very transparent community, the dynamics do not favour financial risk taking involved with new technologies. Financial barriers linked to production volumes and resource management of extensive farming are also a barrier for innovation. However, future prospectives could increase the importance of technology and promote its wider adoption. Trends such as global sheep milk economics, global warming, awareness to animal welfare, antibiotics resistance and European agricultural policies could influence the farming practices and stimulate wider adoption of PLF systems in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Odintsov Vaintrub
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Localita' Piano D'acio, Teramo 64100, Italy.
| | - H Levit
- Laboratory for Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agriculture Research Organization - The Volcani Centre, Israel
| | - M Chincarini
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Localita' Piano D'acio, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - I Fusaro
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Localita' Piano D'acio, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - M Giammarco
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Localita' Piano D'acio, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - G Vignola
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Localita' Piano D'acio, Teramo 64100, Italy
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13
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Analysis of Whole Genome Resequencing Datasets from a Worldwide Sample of Sheep Breeds to Identify Potential Causal Mutations Influencing Milk Composition Traits. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10091542. [PMID: 32882861 PMCID: PMC7552124 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Different studies have shown that polymorphisms in the sequence of genes coding for the milk proteins and milk fatty acids are associated with milk composition traits as well as with cheese-making traits. However, the lack of coincident results across sheep populations has prevented the use of this information in sheep breeding programs. The main objective of this study was to exploit the information derived from a total of 175 whole genome resequencing (WGR) datasets from 43 domestic sheep breeds and three wild sheep to evaluate the genetic diversity of 24 candidate genes for milk composition and identify genetic variants with a potential phenotypic effect. The functional annotation of the identified variants highlighted five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) predicted to have a high impact on the protein function and 42 missense SNPs with a putative deleterious effect. When comparing the allelic frequencies at these 47 polymorphisms with relevant functional effects between the genomes of Assaf and Churra sheep breeds, two missense deleterious variants were identified as potential markers associated to the milk composition differences found between the Churra and Assaf: XDH:92215727C>T and LALBA:137390760T>C. Future research is required to confirm the effect of the potential functionally relevant variants identified in the present study on milk composition and cheese-making traits.
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14
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Ciani E, Mastrangelo S, Da Silva A, Marroni F, Ferenčaković M, Ajmone-Marsan P, Baird H, Barbato M, Colli L, Delvento C, Dovenski T, Gorjanc G, Hall SJG, Hoda A, Li MH, Marković B, McEwan J, Moradi MH, Ruiz-Larrañaga O, Ružić-Muslić D, Šalamon D, Simčič M, Stepanek O, Curik I, Cubric-Curik V, Lenstra JA. On the origin of European sheep as revealed by the diversity of the Balkan breeds and by optimizing population-genetic analysis tools. Genet Sel Evol 2020; 52:25. [PMID: 32408891 PMCID: PMC7227234 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-020-00545-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the Neolithic, domestic sheep migrated into Europe and subsequently spread in westerly and northwesterly directions. Reconstruction of these migrations and subsequent genetic events requires a more detailed characterization of the current phylogeographic differentiation. Results We collected 50 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiles of Balkan sheep that are currently found near the major Neolithic point of entry into Europe, and combined these data with published genotypes from southwest-Asian, Mediterranean, central-European and north-European sheep and from Asian and European mouflons. We detected clines, ancestral components and admixture by using variants of common analysis tools: geography-informative supervised principal component analysis (PCA), breed-specific admixture analysis, across-breed \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$f_{4}$$\end{document}f4 profiles and phylogenetic analysis of regional pools of breeds. The regional Balkan sheep populations exhibit considerable genetic overlap, but are clearly distinct from the breeds in surrounding regions. The Asian mouflon did not influence the differentiation of the European domestic sheep and is only distantly related to present-day sheep, including those from Iran where the mouflons were sampled. We demonstrate the occurrence, from southeast to northwest Europe, of a continuously increasing ancestral component of up to 20% contributed by the European mouflon, which is assumed to descend from the original Neolithic domesticates. The overall patterns indicate that the Balkan region and Italy served as post-domestication migration hubs, from which wool sheep reached Spain and north Italy with subsequent migrations northwards. The documented dispersal of Tarentine wool sheep during the Roman period may have been part of this process. Our results also reproduce the documented 18th century admixture of Spanish Merino sheep into several central-European breeds. Conclusions Our results contribute to a better understanding of the events that have created the present diversity pattern, which is relevant for the management of the genetic resources represented by the European sheep population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ciani
- Dipartamento Bioscienze, Biotecnologie, Biofarmaceutica, Universita. degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Universita Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Anne Da Silva
- Université de Limoges, INRAE, Pereine EA7500, USC1061 Gamaa, 87000, Limoges, France
| | - Fabio Marroni
- Dipartamento Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Universita Udine, Udine, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Ajmone-Marsan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Animali, della Nutrizione e degli Alimenti, Universita Cattolica del S. Cuore di Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Hayley Baird
- AgResearch, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - Mario Barbato
- Dipartimento di Scienze Animali, della Nutrizione e degli Alimenti, Universita Cattolica del S. Cuore di Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Licia Colli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Animali, della Nutrizione e degli Alimenti, Universita Cattolica del S. Cuore di Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Chiara Delvento
- Dipartamento Bioscienze, Biotecnologie, Biofarmaceutica, Universita. degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Toni Dovenski
- Department of Reproduction and Biomedicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Gregor Gorjanc
- Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Anila Hoda
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Agricultural University ofTirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Meng-Hua Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | | | - John McEwan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Animali, della Nutrizione e degli Alimenti, Universita Cattolica del S. Cuore di Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Mohammad H Moradi
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - Otsanda Ruiz-Larrañaga
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, University of Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | | | - Dragica Šalamon
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mojca Simčič
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | - Ino Curik
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Johannes A Lenstra
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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15
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Genome-Wide Scan for Runs of Homozygosity Identifies Candidate Genes Related to Economically Important Traits in Chinese Merino. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10030524. [PMID: 32245132 PMCID: PMC7143548 DOI: 10.3390/ani10030524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are commonly used to estimate inbreeding coefficients and identify selection signatures in livestock population. The present study determined ROH patterns, estimated the inbreeding levels, and identified the genome regions with high ROH frequency (ROH hotspots) in Chinese Merino. Our results showed that the genome of Chinese Merino harbored lower ROH abundance. Moreover, the inbreeding levels were relatively low. Thirteen ROH hotspots consisting of 190 genes were identified. The ROH hotspots overlapped the selective signatures might be associated with body size, horn traits, immune traits and environment adaption. These findings could contribute to an optimum breeding program by identifying the candidate genes related to economically traits in Chinese Merino. Abstract In this study, we estimated the number, length, and frequency of runs of homozygosity (ROH) in 635 Chinese Merino and identified genomic regions with high ROH frequency using the OvineSNP50 whole-genome genotyping array. A total of 6039 ROH exceeding 1 Mb were detected in 634 animals. The average number of ROH in each animal was 9.23 and the average length was 5.87 Mb. Most of the ROH were less than 10 Mb, accounting for 88.77% of the total number of detected ROH. In addition, Ovies aries chromosome (OAR) 21 and OAR3 exhibited the highest and lowest coverage of chromosomes by ROH, respectively. OAR1 displayed the highest number of ROH, while the lowest number of ROH was found on OAR24. An inbreeding coefficient of 0.023 was calculated from ROH greater than 1 Mb. Thirteen regions on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, and 16 were found to contain ROH hotspots. Within the genome regions of OAR6 and OAR11, NCAPG/LCORL, FGF11 and TP53 were identified as the candidate genes related to body size, while the genome region of OAR10 harbored RXFP2 gene responsible for the horn trait. These findings indicate the adaptive to directional trait selection in Chinese Merino.
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16
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Genome-wide analysis reveals the effects of artificial selection on production and meat quality traits in Qinchuan cattle. Genomics 2019; 111:1201-1208. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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17
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Megdiche S, Mastrangelo S, Ben Hamouda M, Lenstra JA, Ciani E. A Combined Multi-Cohort Approach Reveals Novel and Known Genome-Wide Selection Signatures for Wool Traits in Merino and Merino-Derived Sheep Breeds. Front Genet 2019; 10:1025. [PMID: 31708969 PMCID: PMC6824410 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Merino sheep represents a valuable genetic resource worldwide. In this study, we investigated selection signatures in Merino (and Merino-derived) sheep breeds using genome-wide SNP data and two different approaches: a classical FST-outlier method and an approach based on the analysis of local ancestry in admixed populations. In order to capture the most reliable signals, we adopted a combined, multi-cohort approach. In particular, scenarios involving four Merino breeds (Spanish Merino, Australian Merino, Chinese Merino, and Sopravissana) were tested via the local ancestry approach, while nine pair-wise breed comparisons contrasting the above breeds, as well as the Gentile di Puglia breed, with non-Merino breeds from the same geographic area were tested via the FST-outlier method. Signals observed using both methods were compared with genome-wide patterns of distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROH) islands. Novel and known selection signatures were detected. The most reliable signals were observed on OAR 3 (MSRB3 and LEMD3), OAR10 (FRY and RXFP2), OAR 13 (RALY), OAR17 (FAM101A), and OAR18 (NFKBIA, SEC23A, and PAX9). All the above overlapped with known QTLs for wool traits, and evidences from the literature of their involvement in skin/hair/wool biology, as well as gene network analysis, further corroborated these results. The signal on OAR10 also contains well known evidence for association with horn morphology and polledness. More elusive biological evidences of association with the Merino phenotype were observed for a number of other genes, notably LOC101120019 and TMEM132B (OAR17), LOC105609948 (OAR3), LOC101110773 (OAR10), and EIF2S2 (OAR17). Taken together, the above results further contribute to decipher the genetic basis underlying the Merino phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Megdiche
- Départment des Ressources Animales, Agroalimentaire et Développement Rural, Institut Supérieur Agronomique de Chott-Mariem, Université de Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, University of Bari “Aldo Moro,”Bari, Italy
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | | | | | - Elena Ciani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, University of Bari “Aldo Moro,”Bari, Italy
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18
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Han J, Yang M, Guo T, Niu C, Liu J, Yue Y, Yuan C, Yang B. Two linked TBXT (brachyury) gene polymorphisms are associated with the tailless phenotype in fat-rumped sheep. Anim Genet 2019; 50:772-777. [PMID: 31475743 PMCID: PMC6899607 DOI: 10.1111/age.12852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
T‐box transcription factor T (TBXT), encoding the brachyury protein, is an embryonic nuclear transcription factor involved in mesoderm formation and differentiation. Previous studies indicate that TBXT mutations are responsible for the tailless or short‐tailed phenotype of many vertebrates. To verify whether the tailless phenotype in fat‐rumped sheep is associated with TBXT mutations, exon 2 of the TBXT gene for 301 individuals belonging to 13 Chinese and Iranian sheep breeds was directly sequenced. Meanwhile, 380 samples were used to detect the genotypes of the candidate variations by mapping to their reads databases in the Sequence Read Archive repository of GenBank. The results showed that one missense mutation, c.334G>T (GGG>TGG) with a completely linked synonymous variant c.333G>C (CCG>CCC) was found to be associated with the ‘tailless’ characteristic in typical fat‐rumped sheep breeds. The c.334G>T transversion led to the conversion of glycine to tryptophan at the 112th amino acid in the T‐box domain of the brachyury protein. In addition, crossbreeding experiments for long‐tailed and tailless sheep showed that CT/CT allele of nucleotides (nt) 333 and 334, a recessive mutation, would cause sheep tails to be shorter, suggesting that these two linked variants at nucleotides 333 and 334 in TBXT are probably causative mutations responsible for the tailless phenotype in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Han
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - M Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - T Guo
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - C Niu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - J Liu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - Y Yue
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China.,International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
| | - C Yuan
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - B Yang
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730050, China
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19
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Gutiérrez-Gil B, Esteban-Blanco C, Suarez-Vega A, Arranz JJ. Detection of quantitative trait loci and putative causal variants affecting somatic cell score in dairy sheep by using a 50K SNP chip and whole-genome sequencing. J Dairy Sci 2018; 101:9072-9088. [PMID: 30100503 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-14736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This study presents a scan of the ovine genome to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing the somatic cell score (SCS), a classical indicator of subclinical mastitis in sheep, and a subsequent high-resolution analysis of one of the identified QTL regions based on the analysis of whole-genome sequence data sets. A half-sib commercial population of Churra sheep genotyped with a 50K SNP chip was analyzed using linkage analysis (LA) and combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium analysis (LDLA). By LA, 2 5% chromosome-wide significant QTL on OAR5 and OAR25 and one 5% genome-wide significant QTL on ovine chromosome 20 (OAR20) were detected, whereas 22 significant associations were identified by LDLA. Two of the associations detected by LDLA replicated LA-detected effects (OAR20, OAR25). We compared the detected associations with previously reported QTL in sheep and cattle, and functional candidate genes were identified within the estimated confidence intervals. We then performed a high-resolution analysis of the OAR20 QTL region, the most significant QTL region identified by LA that replicated a QTL previously described in Churra sheep for SCS using microsatellite markers. For that, 2 segregating trios of 2 segregating families for the OAR20 QTL (each including the Qq sire and 2 daughters, QQ and qq) were selected for whole-genome sequencing. The bioinformatic analysis of the 6 sequenced samples performed across the genomic interval considered (14.2-41.7 Mb) identified a total of 227,030 variants commonly identified by 2 independent software packages. For the 3 different concordance tests considered, due to discrepancies regarding the QTL peak in the segregating families, the list of mutations concordant with the QTL segregating pattern was processed to identify the variants identified in immune-related genes that show a moderate/high impact on the encoded protein function. Among a list of 85 missense variants concordant with the QTL segregation pattern that were within candidate immune-related genes, 13 variants distributed across 7 genes [PKHD1, NOTCH4, AGER, ENSOARG00000009395 (HLA-C, Homo sapiens), ENSOARG00000015002 (HLA-B, H. sapiens), MOG, and ENSOARG00000018075 (BoLA, Bos taurus, orthologous to human HLA-A] were predicted to cause deleterious effects on protein function. Future studies should assess the possible associations of the candidate variants identified herein in commercial populations with indicator traits of udder inflammation (SCS, clinical mastitis).
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Affiliation(s)
- B Gutiérrez-Gil
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, León 24071, Spain.
| | - C Esteban-Blanco
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, León 24071, Spain
| | - A Suarez-Vega
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, León 24071, Spain
| | - J J Arranz
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, León 24071, Spain
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