1
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li T, Jin M, Wang H, Zhang W, Yuan Z, Wei C. Whole-Genome Scanning for Selection Signatures Reveals Candidate Genes Associated with Growth and Tail Length in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:687. [PMID: 38473071 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared to Chinese indigenous sheep, Western sheep have rapid growth rate, larger physique, and higher meat yield. These excellent Western sheep were introduced into China for crossbreeding to expedite the enhancement of production performance and mutton quality in local breeds. Here, we investigated population genetic structure and genome-wide selection signatures among the Chinese indigenous sheep and the introduced sheep based on whole-genome resequencing data. The PCA, N-J tree and ADMIXTURE results showed significant genetic difference between Chinese indigenous sheep and introduced sheep. The nucleotide diversity (π) and linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay results indicated that the genomic diversity of introduced breeds were lower. Then, Fst & π ratio, XP-EHH, and de-correlated composite of multiple signals (DCMS) methods were used to detect the selection signals. The results showed that we identified important candidate genes related to growth rate and body size in the introduced breeds. Selected genes with stronger selection signatures are associated with growth rate (CRADD), embryonic development (BVES, LIN28B, and WNT11), body size (HMGA2, MSRB3, and PTCH1), muscle development and fat metabolism (MSTN, PDE3A, LGALS12, GGPS1, and SAR1B), wool color (ASIP), and hair development (KRT71, KRT74, and IRF2BP2). Thus, these genes have the potential to serve as candidate genes for enhancing the growth traits of Chinese indigenous sheep. We also identified tail-length trait-related candidate genes (HOXB13, LIN28A, PAX3, and VEGFA) in Chinese long-tailed breeds. Among these genes, HOXB13 is the main candidate gene for sheep tail length phenotype. LIN28A, PAX3, and VEGFA are related to embryonic development and angiogenesis, so these genes may be candidate genes for sheep tail type traits. This study will serve as a foundation for further genetic improvement of Chinese indigenous sheep and as a reference for studies related to growth and development of sheep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taotao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Meilin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Huihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wentao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zehu Yuan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Caihong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mereu P, Pirastru M, Sanna D, Bassu G, Naitana S, Leoni GG. Phenotype transition from wild mouflon to domestic sheep. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:1. [PMID: 38166592 PMCID: PMC10763062 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00871-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The domestication of animals started around 12,000 years ago in the Near East region. This "endless process" is characterized by the gradual accumulation of changes that progressively marked the genetic, phenotypic and physiological differences between wild and domesticated species. The main distinctive phenotypic characteristics are not all directly attributable to the human-mediated selection of more productive traits. In the last decades, two main hypotheses have been proposed to clarify the emergence of such a set of phenotypic traits across a variety of domestic species. The first hypothesis relates the phenotype of the domesticated species to an altered thyroid hormone-based signaling, whereas the second one relates it to changes in the neural crest cells induced by selection of animals for tameness. These two hypotheses are not necessarily mutually exclusive since they may have contributed differently to the process over time and space. The adaptation model induced by domestication can be adopted to clarify some aspects (that are still controversial and debated) of the long-term evolutionary process leading from the wild Neolithic mouflon to the current domestic sheep. Indeed, sheep are among the earliest animals to have been domesticated by humans, around 12,000 years ago, and since then, they have represented a crucial resource in human history. The aim of this review is to shed light on the molecular mechanisms and the specific genomic variants that underlie the phenotypic variability between sheep and mouflon. In this regard, we carried out a critical review of the most recent studies on the molecular mechanisms that are most accredited to be responsible for coat color and phenotype, tail size and presence of horns. We also highlight that, in such a complicate context, sheep/mouflon hybrids represent a powerful and innovative model for studying the mechanism by which the phenotypic traits related to the phenotypic responses to domestication are inherited. Knowledge of these mechanisms could have a significant impact on the selection of more productive breeds. In fact, as in a journey back in time of animal domestication, the genetic traits of today's domestic species are being progressively and deliberately shaped according to human needs, in a direction opposite to that followed during domestication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Mereu
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Monica Pirastru
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
| | - Daria Sanna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Bassu
- Agenzia FoReSTAS, Regione autonoma della Sardegna, 09123, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Salvatore Naitana
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang CL, Zhang J, Tuersuntuoheti M, Zhou W, Han Z, Li X, Yang R, Zhang L, Zheng L, Liu S. Landscape genomics reveals adaptive divergence of indigenous sheep in different ecological environments of Xinjiang, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166698. [PMID: 37683864 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Sheep are important livestock animals that have evolved under various ecological pressures. Xinjiang is a region with diverse and harsh environments that have shaped many local sheep breeds with unique characteristics and environmental adaptability. However, these breeds are losing ecological flexibility due to the promotion of intensive farming practices. Here we sequenced 14 local sheep breeds from Xinjiang and analyzed their genetic structure and gene flow with other sheep breeds from neighboring regions. The Tibetan Plateau was the geographic origin of Xinjiang native sheep evolution. We performed genome-environment association analysis and identified Bio9: Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter and Bio15: Precipitation Seasonality as the key environmental factors affecting Xinjiang local sheep and the key genes involved in their survival and adaptation. We classified Xinjiang native sheep breeds into six groups based on their differential genes by pairwise selective sweep analysis and Community Network Analysis. We analyzed transcriptome expression data of 832 sheep tissues and detected tissue-specific enrichment of six group-specific genes in different biological systems. Our results revealed the genetic basis of year-round estrus, drought tolerance, hypoxia resistance, and cold tolerance traits of Xinjiang sheep breeds. Moreover, we proposed conservation strategies for Xinjiang local sheep breeds and provided theoretical guidance for breeding new sheep breeds under global extreme environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Long Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jihu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Mirenisa Tuersuntuoheti
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Zhipeng Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ruizhi Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lulu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Langman Zheng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
| | - Shudong Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xingfu Road, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Farhadi S, Hasanpur K, Ghias JS, Palangi V, Maggiolino A, Landi V. Comprehensive Gene Expression Profiling Analysis of Adipose Tissue in Male Individuals from Fat- and Thin-Tailed Sheep Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3475. [PMID: 38003093 PMCID: PMC10668686 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been shown that tail fat content varies significantly among sheep breeds and plays a significant role in meat quality. Recently, significant efforts have been made to understand the physiological, biochemical, and genomic regulation of fat deposition in sheep tails in order to unravel the mechanisms underlying energy storage and adipose tissue lipid metabolism. RNA-seq has enabled us to provide a high-resolution snapshot of differential gene expression between fat- and thin-tailed sheep breeds. Therefore, three RNA-seq datasets were meta-analyzed for the current work to elucidate the transcriptome profile differences between them. Specifically, we identified hub genes, performed gene ontology (GO) analysis, carried out enrichment analyses of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, and validated hub genes using machine learning algorithms. This approach revealed a total of 136 meta-genes, 39 of which were not significant in any of the individual studies, indicating the higher statistical power of the meta-analysis. Furthermore, the results derived from the use of machine learning revealed POSTN, K35, SETD4, USP29, ANKRD37, RTN2, PRG4, and LRRC4C as substantial genes that were assigned a higher weight (0.7) than other meta-genes. Among the decision tree models, the Random Forest ones surpassed the others in adipose tissue predictive power fat deposition in fat- and thin-tailed breeds (accuracy > 0.85%). In this regard, combining meta-analyses and machine learning approaches allowed for the identification of three important genes (POSTN, K35, SETD4) related to lipid metabolism, and our findings could help animal breeding strategies optimize fat-tailed breeds' tail sizes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sana Farhadi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51666-16471, Iran; (S.F.); (J.S.G.)
| | - Karim Hasanpur
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51666-16471, Iran; (S.F.); (J.S.G.)
| | - Jalil Shodja Ghias
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 51666-16471, Iran; (S.F.); (J.S.G.)
| | - Valiollah Palangi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Türkiye;
| | - Aristide Maggiolino
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo Landi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Whole-body adipose tissue multi-omic analyses in sheep reveal molecular mechanisms underlying local adaptation to extreme environments. Commun Biol 2023; 6:159. [PMID: 36755107 PMCID: PMC9908986 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04523-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The fat tail of sheep is an important organ that has evolved to adapt to extreme environments. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying the fat tail phenotype remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize transcriptome and lipidome profiles and morphological changes in 250 adipose tissues from two thin-tailed and three fat-tailed sheep populations in summer and winter. We implement whole-genome selective sweep tests to identify genetic variants related to fat-tails. We identify a set of functional genes that show differential expression in the tail fat of fat-tailed and thin-tailed sheep in summer and winter. These genes are significantly enriched in pathways, such as lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, molecular transport, and inflammatory response. In contrast to thin-tailed sheep, tail fat from fat-tailed sheep show slighter changes in adipocyte size, ECM remodeling, and lipid metabolism, and had less inflammation in response to seasonal changes, indicating improved homeostasis. Whole-genome selective sweep tests identify genes involved in preadipocyte commitment (e.g., BMP2, PDGFD) and terminal adipogenic differentiation (e.g., VEGFA), which could contribute to enhanced adipocyte hyperplasia. Altogether, we establish a model of regulatory networks regulating adipose homeostasis in sheep tails. These findings improve our understanding of how adipose homeostasis is maintained, in response to extreme environments in animals.
Collapse
|
8
|
Bedhiaf-Romdhani S, Baazaoui I, Dodds KG, Brauning R, Anderson RM, Van Stijn TC, McCulloch AF, McEwan JC. Efficiency of genotyping by sequencing in inferring genomic relatedness and molecular insights into fat tail selection in Tunisian sheep. Anim Genet 2023; 54:389-397. [PMID: 36727208 DOI: 10.1111/age.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In developing countries, the use of simple and cost-efficient molecular technology is crucial for genetic characterization of local animal resources and better development of conservation strategies. The genotyping by sequencing (GBS) technique, also called restriction enzyme- reduced representational sequencing, is an efficient, cost-effective method for simultaneous discovery and genotyping of many markers. In the present study, we applied a two-enzyme GBS protocol (PstI/MspI) to discover and genotype SNP markers among 197 Tunisian sheep samples. A total of 100 333 bi-allelic SNPs were discovered and genotyped with an SNP call rate of 0.69 and mean sample depth 3.33. The genomic relatedness between 183 samples grouped the samples perfectly to their populations and pointed out a high genetic relatedness of inbred subpopulation reflecting the current adopted reproductive strategies. The genome-wide association study contrasting fat vs. thin-tailed breeds detected 41 significant variants including a peak positioned on OAR20. We identified FOXC1, GMDS, VEGFA, OXCT1, VRTN and BMP2 as the most promising for sheep tail-type trait. The GBS data have been useful to assess the population structure and improve our understanding of the genomic architecture of distinctive characteristics shaped by selection pressure in local sheep breeds. This study successfully investigates a cost-efficient method to discover genotypes, assign populations and understand insights into sheep adaptation to arid area. GBS could be of potential utility in livestock species in developing/emerging countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Bedhiaf-Romdhani
- Laboratoire des Productions Animales et Fourragères, INRA-Tunisie, Université de Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Imen Baazaoui
- Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Bizerte, Tunisia
| | - Ken G Dodds
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - Rudiger Brauning
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - Rayna M Anderson
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | | | - Alan F McCulloch
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| | - John Colin McEwan
- AgResearch Limited, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Mosgiel, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kalds P, Huang S, Chen Y, Wang X. Ovine HOXB13: expanding the gene repertoire of sheep tail patterning and implications in genetic improvement. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1196. [DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04199-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
|
10
|
Genome-Wide Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Local Sudanese Sheep Populations Revealed by Whole-Genome Sequencing. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14110895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Local Sudanese sheep populations inhabiting diverse environmental conditions and holding opposing morphologies provide opportunities for molecular-genetic research. Characterizing their genome is crucial for sustainable breeding improvement and targeting favorable genes in breeding programs. However, the genome of these sheep populations, which comprises several subtypes, remains uncharacterized using whole-genome sequence data. This study aimed to elucidate genome-wide genetic diversity and population structure of 11 local Sudanese sheep populations, namely, Hammari, Kabbashi, Meidobe, Ashgar, Dubasi, Watish, Bega, Naili, Fulani, Zagawi, and Garag. Ninety whole blood samples were collected, and we extracted DNA using a Qiagen DNeasy® extraction kit. We used the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform to sequence all the DNA samples. We included whole-genome sequence data of three Ethiopian sheep (Doyogena, Kefis, and Gafera) and one Libyan sheep (Libyan Barbary) in the study to infer the genetic relationships of local Sudanese sheep populations from a continental perspective. A total of 44.8 million bi-allelic autosomal SNPs were detected; 28.5% and 63.3% occur in introns and intergenic regions, respectively. The mean genetic diversity ranged from 0.276 for Garag to 0.324 for Kabbashi sheep populations. The lowest FST estimates were observed between Kabbashi and Ashgar and the highest between Bega and Fulani local Sudanese sheep populations. The principal component and population structure analyses of the 11 local Sudanese sheep populations indicated three separate genetic groups categorized following their tail morphotype, geographical distribution, and population subtype. The thin-tailed local Sudanese sheep populations exhibited independent clustering from the fat-tailed Ethiopian and Libyan sheep. We also observed distinct clustering between the fat-tailed Ethiopian and Libyan sheep. The present study’s findings demonstrated the population structure and principal components related to tail morphotype, geographical distribution, and population subtype of local Sudanese sheep populations. A clear signature of admixture was observed among the studied local Sudanese sheep populations.
Collapse
|
11
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Li M, Yin C, Zhao F, Liu Y. Copy number variation association studies for sheep tail‐relevant traits in Hulunbuir sheep. Anim Genet 2022; 53:897-900. [DOI: 10.1111/age.13265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mianyan Li
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing China
| | - Chang Yin
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing China
| | - Fuping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
How Geography and Climate Shaped the Genomic Diversity of Italian Local Cattle and Sheep Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12172198. [PMID: 36077919 PMCID: PMC9454691 DOI: 10.3390/ani12172198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this paper, we study the inter-relationships among geography, climate, and genetics in Italian local cattle and sheep breeds. In terms of genetic diversity, geography (latitude and longitude) appears to play a larger role in sheep (26.4%) than that in cattle (13.8%). Once geography is accounted for, 10.1% of cattle genomic diversity and 13.3% of that of sheep are attributable to climatic effects. Stronger geographic effects in sheep can be related to a combination of higher predomestication genetic variability together with biological and productive specializations. The climate alone seems to have had less impact on the current genetic diversity in both species even if climate and geography are greatly confounded. Results confirm that both species are the result of complex evolutionary histories triggered by interactions between human needs and environmental conditions. Abstract Understanding the relationships among geography, climate, and genetics is increasingly important for animal farming and breeding. In this study, we examine these inter-relationships in the context of local cattle and sheep breeds distributed along the Italian territory. To this aim, we used redundancy analysis on genomic data from previous projects combined with geographical coordinates and corresponding climatic data. The effect of geographic factors (latitude and longitude) was more important in sheep (26.4%) than that in cattle (13.8%). Once geography had been partialled out of analysis, 10.1% of cattle genomic diversity and 13.3% of that of sheep could be ascribed to climatic effects. Stronger geographic effects in sheep can be related to a combination of higher pre-domestication genetic variability together with biological and productive specificities. Climate alone seems to have had less impact on current genetic diversity in both species, even if climate and geography are greatly confounded. Results confirm that both species are the result of complex evolutionary histories triggered by interactions between human needs and environmental conditions.
Collapse
|
14
|
Ahbara AM, Musa HH, Robert C, Abebe A, Al-Jumaili AS, Kebede A, Latairish S, Agoub MO, Clark E, Hanotte O, Mwacharo JM. Natural adaptation and human selection of northeast African sheep genomes. Genomics 2022; 114:110448. [PMID: 35964803 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
African sheep manifest diverse but distinct physio-anatomical traits, which are the outcomes of natural- and human-driven selection. Here, we generated 34.8 million variants from 150 indigenous northeast African sheep genomes sequenced at an average depth of ∼54× for 130 samples (Ethiopia, Libya) and ∼20× for 20 samples (Sudan). These represented sheep from diverse environments, tail morphology and post-Neolithic introductions to Africa. Phylogenetic and model-based admixture analysis provided evidence of four genetic groups corresponding to altitudinal geographic origins, tail morphotypes and possible historical introduction and dispersal of the species into and across the continent. Running admixture at higher levels of K (6 ≤ K ≤ 25), revealed cryptic levels of genome intermixing as well as distinct genetic backgrounds in some populations. Comparative genomic analysis identified targets of selection that spanned conserved haplotype structures overlapping clusters of genes and gene families. These were related to hypoxia responses, ear morphology, caudal vertebrae and tail skeleton length, and tail fat-depot structures. Our findings provide novel insights underpinning morphological variation and response to human-driven selection and environmental adaptation in African indigenous sheep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abulgasim M Ahbara
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya; School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK; Small Ruminant Genomics, International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; LiveGene, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Animal and Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, The Roslin Institute Building, Midlothian, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Hassan H Musa
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Christelle Robert
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ayele Abebe
- Debre Berhan Research Centre, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Ahmed S Al-Jumaili
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Al-Maarif University College, Ramadi, Anbar, Iraq
| | - Adebabay Kebede
- LiveGene-CTLGH, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Suliman Latairish
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
| | | | - Emily Clark
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK; LiveGene-CTLGH, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Joram M Mwacharo
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Animal and Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, The Roslin Institute Building, Midlothian, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Jin M, Fei X, Li T, Lu Z, Chu M, Di R, He X, Wang X, Wei C. Transcriptome study digs out BMP2 involved in adipogenesis in sheep tails. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:457. [PMID: 35725366 PMCID: PMC9210821 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08657-8] [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: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hu sheep and Tibetan sheep in China are characterized by fat tails and thin tails, respectively. Several transcriptomes have been conducted in different sheep breeds to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) underlying this trait. However, these studies identified different DEGs in different sheep breeds. Results Hence, RNA sequencing was performed on Hu sheep and Tibetan sheep. We obtained a total of 45.57 and 43.82 million sequencing reads, respectively. Two libraries mapped reads from 36.93 and 38.55 million reads after alignment to the reference sequences. 2108 DEGs were identified, including 1247 downregulated and 861 upregulated DEGs. GO and KEGG analyses of all DEGs demonstrated that pathways were enriched in the regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes and terms related to the chemokine signalling pathway, lysosomes, and glycosaminoglycan degradation. Eight genes were selected for validation by RT–qPCR. In addition, the transfection of BMP2 overexpression into preadipocytes resulted in increased PPAR-γ expression and expression. BMP2 potentially induces adipogenesis through LOX in preadipocytes. The number of lipid drops in BMP2 overexpression detected by oil red O staining was also greater than that in the negative control. Conclusion In summary, these results showed that significant genes (BMP2, HOXA11, PPP1CC and LPIN1) are involved in the regulation of adipogenesis metabolism and suggested novel insights into metabolic molecules in sheep fat tails. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08657-8.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meilin Jin
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Fei
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Taotao Li
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zengkui Lu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Mingxing Chu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ran Di
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caihong Wei
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hitchhiking Mapping of Candidate Regions Associated with Fat Deposition in Iranian Thin and Fat Tail Sheep Breeds Suggests New Insights into Molecular Aspects of Fat Tail Selection. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12111423. [PMID: 35681887 PMCID: PMC9179914 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111423] [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: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Fatness-related traits are economically very important in sheep production and are associated with serious diseases in humans. Using a denser set of SNP markers and a variety of statistical approaches, our results were able to refine the regions associated with fat deposition and to suggest new insights into molecular aspects of fat tail selection. These results may provide a strong foundation for studying the regulation of fat deposition in sheep and do offer hope that the causal mutations and the mode of inheritance of this trait will soon be discovered by further investigation. Abstract The fat tail is a phenotype that divides indigenous Iranian sheep genetic resources into two major groups. The objective of the present study is to refine the map location of candidate regions associated with fat deposition, obtained via two separate whole genome scans contrasting thin and fat tail breeds, and to determine the nature of the selection occurring in these regions using a hitchhiking approach. Zel (thin tail) and Lori-Bakhtiari (fat tail) breed samples that had previously been run on the Illumina Ovine 50 k BeadChip, were genotyped with a denser set of SNPs in the three candidate regions using a Sequenom Mass ARRAY platform. Statistical tests were then performed using different and complementary methods based on either site frequency (FST and Median homozygosity) or haplotype (iHS and XP-EHH). The results from candidate regions on chromosome 5 and X revealed clear evidence of selection with the derived haplotypes that was consistent with selection to near fixation for the haplotypes affecting fat tail size in the fat tail breed. An analysis of the candidate region on chromosome 7 indicated that selection differentiated the beneficial alleles between breeds and homozygosity has increased in the thin tail breed which also had the ancestral haplotype. These results enabled us to confirm the signature of selection in these regions and refine the critical intervals from 113 kb, 201 kb, and 2831 kb to 28 kb, 142 kb, and 1006 kb on chromosome 5, 7, and X respectively. These regions contain several genes associated with fat metabolism or developmental processes consisting of TCF7 and PPP2CA (OAR5), PTGDR and NID2 (OAR7), AR, EBP, CACNA1F, HSD17B10,SLC35A2, BMP15, WDR13, and RBM3 (OAR X), and each of which could potentially be the actual target of selection. The study of core haplotypes alleles in our regions of interest also supported the hypothesis that the first domesticated sheep were thin tailed, and that fat tail animals were developed later. Overall, our results provide a comprehensive assessment of how and where selection has affected the patterns of variation in candidate regions associated with fat deposition in thin and fat tail sheep breeds.
Collapse
|
17
|
Jin M, Fei X, Li T, Lu Z, Chu M, Di R, He X, Wang X, Wang Y, Yuan Z, Quan K, Wang H, Wei C. Oar-miR-432 Regulates Fat Differentiation and Promotes the Expression of BMP2 in Ovine Preadipocytes. Front Genet 2022; 13:844747. [PMID: 35559046 PMCID: PMC9087340 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.844747] [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: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fat tail is a unique characteristic of sheep that represents energy reserves and is a complex adaptative mechanism of fat-tailed sheep to environmental stress. MicroRNA plays a significant role as regulators at the posttranscriptional level, but no studies have explained the molecular mechanisms of miRNA which regulate fat deposition in sheep tails. In this study, mRNA and miRNA analysis examined tail fat tissue from three Hu fat-tailed and three Tibetan thin-tailed sheep. After aligning to the reference sequences, 2,108 differentially expressed genes and 105 differential expression miRNAs were identified, including 1,247 up- and 861 downregulated genes and 43 up- and 62 downregulated miRNAs. Among these differentially expressed miRNAs, oar-miR-432 was one of the most downregulated miRNAs between Hu sheep and Tibetan sheep, and 712 genes were predicted to be targeted by oar-miR-432, 80 of which overlapped with DEGs. The Gene Ontology analysis on these genes showed that BMP2, LEP, GRK5, BMP7, and RORC were enriched in fat cell differentiation terms. The genes for BMP2 targeted by oar-miR-432 were examined using dual-luciferase assay. The oar-miR-432 mimic transfected into preadipocytes resulted in increased expression of BMP2. The marker gene PPAR-γ of fat differentiation had a lower expression than the negative control on days 0, 2, and 4 after induced differentiation. The decrease in the number of lipids in the oar-miR-432 mimic group detected by oil red O stain was also less than that in the negative control. This is the first study to reveal the fat mechanisms by which oar-miR-432 inhibits fat differentiation and promotes the expression of BMP2 in sheep tails.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meilin Jin
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Fei
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Taotao Li
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zengkui Lu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mingxing Chu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ran Di
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Zehu Yuan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Kai Quan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huihua Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Caihong Wei
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Identification of Copy Number Variations and Genetic Diversity in Italian Insular Sheep Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020217. [PMID: 35049839 PMCID: PMC8773107 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Copy number variants (CNVs) are one of the major contributors to genetic diversity and phenotypic variation in livestock. The aim of this work is to identify CNVs and perform, for the first time, a CNV-based population genetics analysis with five Italian sheep breeds (Barbaresca, Comisana, Pinzirita, Sarda, and Valle del Belìce). We identified 10,207 CNVs with an average length of 1.81 Mb. The breeds showed similar mean numbers of CNVs, ranging from 20 (Sarda) to 27 (Comisana). A total of 365 CNV regions (CNVRs) were determined. The length of the CNVRs varied among breeds from 2.4 Mb to 124.1 Mb. The highest number of shared CNVRs was between Comisana and Pinzirita, and only one CNVR was shared among all breeds. Our results indicated that segregating CNVs expresses a certain degree of diversity across all breeds. Despite the low/moderate genetic differentiation among breeds, the different approaches used to disclose the genetic relationship showed that the five breeds tend to cluster in distinct groups, similar to the previous studies based on single-nucleotide polymorphism markers. Gene enrichment was described for the 37 CNVRs selected, considering the top 10%. Out of 181 total genes, 67 were uncharacterized loci. Gene Ontology analysis showed that several of these genes are involved in lipid metabolism, immune response, and the olfactory pathway. Our results corroborated previous studies and showed that CNVs represent valuable molecular resources for providing useful information for separating the population and could be further used to explore the function and evolutionary aspect of sheep genome.
Collapse
|
19
|
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: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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.
Collapse
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
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Yuan Z, Ge L, Sun J, Zhang W, Wang S, Cao X, Sun W. Integrative analysis of Iso-Seq and RNA-seq data reveals transcriptome complexity and differentially expressed transcripts in sheep tail fat. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12454. [PMID: 34760406 PMCID: PMC8571958 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nowadays, both customers and producers prefer thin-tailed fat sheep. To effectively breed for this phenotype, it is important to identify candidate genes and uncover the genetic mechanism related to tail fat deposition in sheep. Accumulating evidence suggesting that post-transcriptional modification events of precursor-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA), including alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA), may regulate tail fat deposition in sheep. Differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) analysis is a way to identify candidate genes related to tail fat deposition. However, due to the technological limitation, post-transcriptional modification events in the tail fat of sheep and DETs between thin-tailed and fat-tailed sheep remains unclear. Methods In the present study, we applied pooled PacBio isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) to generate transcriptomic data of tail fat tissue from six sheep (three thin-tailed sheep and three fat-tailed sheep). By comparing with reference genome, potential gene loci and novel transcripts were identified. Post-transcriptional modification events, including AS and APA, and lncRNA in sheep tail fat were uncovered using pooled Iso-Seq data. Combining Iso-Seq data with six RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) data, DETs between thin- and fat-tailed sheep were identified. Protein protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were implemented to investigate the potential functions of DETs. Results In the present study, we revealed the transcriptomic complexity of the tail fat of sheep, result in 9,001 potential novel gene loci, 17,834 AS events, 5,791 APA events, and 3,764 lncRNAs. Combining Iso-Seq data with RNA-Seq data, we identified hundreds of DETs between thin- and fat-tailed sheep. Among them, 21 differentially expressed lncRNAs, such as ENSOART00020036299, ENSOART00020033641, ENSOART00020024562, ENSOART00020003848 and 9.53.1 may regulate tail fat deposition. Many novel transcripts were identified as DETs, including 15.527.13 (DGAT2), 13.624.23 (ACSS2), 11.689.28 (ACLY), 11.689.18 (ACLY), 11.689.14 (ACLY), 11.660.12 (ACLY), 22.289.6 (SCD), 22.289.3 (SCD) and 22.289.14 (SCD). Most of the identified DETs have been enriched in GO and KEGG pathways related to extracellular matrix (ECM). Our result revealed the transcriptome complexity and identified many candidate transcripts in tail fat, which could enhance the understanding of molecular mechanisms behind tail fat deposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zehu Yuan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ling Ge
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingyi Sun
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Weibo Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shanhe Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiukai Cao
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kalds P, Luo Q, Sun K, Zhou S, Chen Y, Wang X. Trends towards revealing the genetic architecture of sheep tail patterning: Promising genes and investigatory pathways. Anim Genet 2021; 52:799-812. [PMID: 34472112 DOI: 10.1111/age.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Different sheep breeds have evolved after initial domestication, generating various tail phenotypic patterns. The phenotypic diversity of sheep tail patterns offers ideal materials for comparative analysis of its genetic basis. Evolutionary biologists, animal geneticists, breeders, and producers have been curious to clearly understand the underlying genetics behind phenotypic differences in sheep tails. Understanding the causal gene(s) and mutation(s) underlying these differences will help probe an evolutionary riddle, improve animal production performance, promote animal welfare, and provide lessons that help comprehend human diseases related to fat deposition (i.e., obesity). Historically, fat tails have served as an adaptive response to aridification and climate change. However, the fat tail is currently associated with compromised mating and animal locomotion, fat distribution in the animal body, increased raising costs, reduced consumer preference, and other animal welfare issues such as tail docking. The developing genomic approaches provide unprecedented opportunities to determine causal variants underlying phenotypic differences among populations. In the last decade, researchers have performed several genomic investigations to assess the genomic causality underlying phenotypic variations in sheep tails. Various genes have been suggested with the prominence of several potentially significant causatives, including the BMP2 and PDGFD genes associated with the fat tail phenotype and the TBXT gene linked with the caudal vertebrae number and tail length. Although the potential genes related to sheep tail characteristics have been revealed, the causal variant(s) and mutation(s) of these high-ranking candidate genes are still elusive and need further investigation. The review discusses the potential genes, sheds light on a knowledge gap, and provides possible investigative approaches that could help determine the specific genomic causatives of sheep tail patterns. Besides, characterizing and revealing the genetic determinism of sheep tails will help solve issues compromising sheep breeding and welfare in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Kalds
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, Egypt
| | - Q Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - K Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - S Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Y Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - X Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Luo R, Zhang X, Wang L, Zhang L, Li G, Zheng Z. GLIS1, a potential candidate gene affect fat deposition in sheep tail. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:4925-4931. [PMID: 34132943 PMCID: PMC8260413 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06468-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Fat deposition in sheep tails is as a result of a complicated mechanism. Mongolian sheep (MG) and Small Tail Han sheep (STH) are two fat-tailed Chinese indigenous sheep breeds while DairyMeade and East Friesian (DS) are two thin-tailed dairy sheep breeds recently introduced to China. In this study, population genomics analysis was applied to identify candidate genes associated with sheep tails based on an in-depth whole-genome sequencing of MG, STH and DS. The selective signature analysis demonstrated that GLIS1, LOC101117953, PDGFD and T were in the significant divergent regions between DS and STH–MG. A nonsynonymous point mutation (g.27807636G>T) was found within GLIS1 in STH–MG and resulted in a Pro to Thr substitution. As a pro-adipogenic factor, GLIS1 may play critical roles in the mesodermal cell differentiation during fetal development affecting fat deposition in sheep tails. This study gives a new insight into the genetic basis of species-specific traits of sheep tails.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rongsong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China
| | - Xiaoran Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Likai Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Li Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China
| | - Guangpeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China.
| | - Zhong Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation & Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010070, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Rocha JL, Godinho R, Brito JC, Nielsen R. Life in Deserts: The Genetic Basis of Mammalian Desert Adaptation. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:637-650. [PMID: 33863602 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Deserts are among the harshest environments on Earth. The multiple ages of different deserts and their global distribution provide a unique opportunity to study repeated adaptation at different timescales. Here, we summarize recent genomic research on the genetic mechanisms underlying desert adaptations in mammals. Several studies on different desert mammals show large overlap in functional classes of genes and pathways, consistent with the complexity and variety of phenotypes associated with desert adaptation to water and food scarcity and extreme temperatures. However, studies of desert adaptation are also challenged by a lack of accurate genotype-phenotype-environment maps. We encourage development of systems that facilitate functional analyses, but also acknowledge the need for more studies on a wider variety of desert mammals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joana L Rocha
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 534, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - José C Brito
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rasmus Nielsen
- Department of Integrative Biology and Department of Statistics, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94820, USA; Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, DK-1165 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Baazaoui I, Bedhiaf-Romdhani S, Mastrangelo S, Ciani E. Genome-wide analyses reveal population structure and identify candidate genes associated with tail fatness in local sheep from a semi-arid area. Animal 2021; 15:100193. [PMID: 33715983 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2021.100193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Under a climate change perspective, the genetic make-up of local livestock breeds showing adaptive traits should be explored and preserved as a priority. We used genotype data from the ovine 50 k Illumina BeadChip for assessing breed autozygosity based on runs of homozygosity (ROH) and fine-scale genetic structure and for detecting genomic regions under selection in 63 Tunisian sheep samples. The average genomic inbreeding coefficients based on ROH were estimated at 0.017, 0.021, and 0.024 for Barbarine (BAR, n = 26), Noire de Thibar (NDT, n = 23), and Queue fine de l'Ouest (QFO, n = 14) breeds, respectively. The genomic relationships among individuals based on identity by state (IBS) distance matrix highlighted a recent introgression of QFO into the BAR and a genetic differentiation of NDT samples, possibly explained by past introgression of European gene pools. Genome-wide scan for ROH across breeds and within the BAR sample set identified an outstanding signal on chromosome 13 (46.58-49.61 Mbp). These results were confirmed using FST index, differentiating fat vs. thin-tailed individuals. Candidate genes under selection pressure (CDS2, PROKR1, and BMP2) were associated to lipid storage and probably preferentially selected in fat-tailed BAR animals. Our findings suggest paying more attention to preserve the genetic integrity and adaptive alleles of local sheep breeds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I Baazaoui
- Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, 7021 Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia
| | - S Bedhiaf-Romdhani
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, Laboratoire des Productions Animales et Fourragères, Université de Carthage, 2049 Ariana, Tunisie..
| | - S Mastrangelo
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - E Ciani
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Han J, Guo T, Yue Y, Lu Z, Liu J, Yuan C, Niu C, Yang M, Yang B. Quantitative proteomic analysis identified differentially expressed proteins with tail/rump fat deposition in Chinese thin- and fat-tailed lambs. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246279. [PMID: 33529214 PMCID: PMC7853479 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tail adipose as one of the important functional tissues can enhance hazardous environments tolerance for sheep. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the underlying development mechanisms of this trait. A quantitative analysis of protein abundance in ovine tail/rump adipose tissue was performed between Chinese local fat- (Kazakh, Hu and Lanzhou) and thin-tailed (Alpine Merino, Tibetan) sheep in the present study by using lable-free approach. Results showed that 3400 proteins were identified in the five breeds, and 804 were differentially expressed proteins, including 638 up regulated proteins and 83 down regulated proteins in the tail adipose tissues between fat- and thin-tailed sheep, and 8 clusters were distinguished for all the DEPs’ expression patterns. The differentially expressed proteins are mainly associated with metabolism pathways and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor signaling pathway. Furthermore, the proteomics results were validated by quantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot. Our research has also suggested that the up-regulated proteins ACSL1, HSD17β4, FABP4 in the tail adipose tissue might contribute to tail fat deposition by facilitating the proliferation of adipocytes and fat accumulation in tail/rump of sheep. Particularly, FABP4 highly expressed in the fat-tail will play an important role for tail fat deposition. Our study might provide a novel view to understanding fat accumulation in special parts of the body in sheep and other animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jilong Han
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, CAAS, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Guo
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yaojing Yue
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zengkui Lu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jianbin Liu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chao Yuan
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chune Niu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, CAAS, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (MY); (BY)
| | - Bohui Yang
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, China
- Engineering Research Center of Sheep and Goat Breeding, CAAS, Lanzhou, China
- * E-mail: (MY); (BY)
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals the Effects of Recent Artificial Selection on Litter Size of Bamei Mutton Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11010157. [PMID: 33445473 PMCID: PMC7827510 DOI: 10.3390/ani11010157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Bamei mutton sheep is a Chinese domestic sheep breed developed by crossing German Mutton Merino sheep and indigenous Mongolian sheep for meat production. There is large variation in the reproductive abilities of Bamei mutton sheep. After recent artificial selection, the average lambing rate of the Bamei mutton nucleus group was over 150%. We used the FST (Fixation Index) and XP-EHH (The Cross-Population Extended Haplotype Homozygosity) statistical approach to detect the selective sweeps between high- and low-fecundity Bamei mutton sheep groups. JUN (JUN proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit), ITPR3 (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3, PLCB2 (phospholipase C beta 2), HERC5 (HECT and RLD domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 5), and KDM4B (lysine demethylase 4B) were detected that are potential responsible for litter size. These observations provide a new opportunity to research the genetic variation influencing fecundity traits within a population evolving under artificial selection. Abstract Bamei mutton sheep is a Chinese domestic sheep breed developed by crossing German Mutton Merino sheep and indigenous Mongolian sheep for meat production. Here, we focused on detecting candidate genes associated with the increasing of the litter size in this breeds under recent artificial selection to improve the efficiency of mutton production. We selected five high- and five low-fecundity Bamei mutton sheep for whole-genome resequencing to identify candidate genes for sheep prolificacy. We used the FST and XP-EHH statistical approach to detect the selective sweeps between these two groups. Combining the two selective sweep methods, the reproduction-related genes JUN, ITPR3, PLCB2, HERC5, and KDM4B were detected. JUN, ITPR3, and PLCB2 play vital roles in GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone), oxytocin, and estrogen signaling pathway. Moreover, KDM4B, which had the highest FST value, exhibits demethylase activity. It can affect reproduction by binding the promoters of estrogen-regulated genes, such as FOXA1 (forkhead box A1) and ESR1 (estrogen receptor 1). Notably, one nonsynonymous mutation (p.S936A) specific to the high-prolificacy group was identified at the TUDOR domain of KDM4B. These observations provide a new opportunity to research the genetic variation influencing fecundity traits within a population evolving under artificial selection. The identified genomic regions that are responsible for litter size can in turn be used for further selection.
Collapse
|
27
|
Krivoruchko AY, Yatsyk OA, Safaryan EY. Candidate genes for productivity identified by genome-wide association study with indicators of class in the Russian meat merino sheep breed. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2020; 24:836-843. [PMID: 35087996 PMCID: PMC8763718 DOI: 10.18699/vj20.681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies allow identification of loci and polymorphisms associated with the formation of relevant phenotypes. When conducting a full genome analysis of sheep, particularly promising is the study
of individuals with outstanding productivity indicators – exhibition animals, representatives of the super-elite class.
The aim of this study was to identify new candidate genes for economically valuable traits based on the search for
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with belonging to different evaluation classes in rams of the Russian meat merino breed. Animal genotyping was performed using Ovine Infinium HD BeadChip 600K DNA, association search was performed using PLINK v. 1.07 software. Highly reliable associations were found between animals
belonging to different evaluation classes and the frequency of occurrence of individual SNPs on chromosomes 2, 6,
10, 13, and 20. Most of the substitutions with high association reliability are concentrated on chromosome 10 in the
region 10: 30859297–31873769. To search for candidate genes, 15 polymorphisms with the highest association reliability were selected (–log10(р) > 9). Determining the location of the analyzed SNPs relative to the latest annotation
Oar_rambouillet_v1.0 allowed to identify 11 candidate genes presumably associated with the formation of a complex
of phenotypic traits of animals in the exhibition group: RXFP2, ALOX5AP, MEDAG, OPN5, PRDM5, PTPRT, TRNAS-GGA,
EEF1A1, FRY, ZBTB21-like, and B3GLCT-like. The listed genes encode proteins involved in the control of the cell cycle and
DNA replication, regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, the development
of the inflammatory process and the work of circadian rhythms. Thus, the candidate genes under consideration can
influence the formation of exterior features and productive qualities of sheep. However, further research is needed
to confirm the influence of genes and determine the exact mechanisms for implementing this influence on the phenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A. Y. Krivoruchko
- All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding – Branch of the North Caucasus Federal Agricultural Research Center
| | - O. A. Yatsyk
- All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding – Branch of the North Caucasus Federal Agricultural Research Center
| | - E. Y. Safaryan
- All-Russian Research Institute of Sheep and Goat Breeding – Branch of the North Caucasus Federal Agricultural Research Center
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Association of TMEM8B and SPAG8 with Mature Weight in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10122391. [PMID: 33333720 PMCID: PMC7765121 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Domestication and the subsequent selection of animals for either economic or morphological features can impact the legacy genome of a population in myriad ways. In sheep, the rs426272889 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified as the peak of a signature of selection. We examined phenotypic data and identified associations for the Transmembrane protein 8B (TMEM8B) rs426272889 SNP and its genetically linked Sperm-associated antigen 8 (SPAG8) rs160159557 SNP with ewe mature weight in four sheep breeds. These data provided the first production-relevant phenotypes, as well as the first organism-level (as opposed to cellular or tumor-derived) phenotypes, associated with TMEM8B, and in so doing, improved the annotation of this gene and genomic region by adding body weight implications. Once validated, these data can be applied in genetic or genomic selection aiming to achieve desired mature body weight. Abstract Signature of selection studies have identified many genomic regions with known functional importance and some without verified functional roles. Multiple studies have identified Transmembrane protein 8B (TMEM8B)rs426272889 as having been recently under extreme selection pressure in domesticated sheep, but no study has provided sheep phenotypic data clarifying a reason for extreme selection. We tested rs426272889 for production trait association in 770 U.S. Rambouillet, Targhee, Polypay, and Suffolk sheep. TMEM8Brs426272889 was associated with mature weight at 3 and 4 years (p < 0.05). This suggested selection for sheep growth and body size might explain the historical extreme selection pressure in this genomic region. We also tested Sperm-associated antigen 8 (SPAG8) rs160159557 encoding a G493C substitution. While this variant was associated with mature weights at ages 3 and 4, it was not as strongly associated as TMEM8Brs426272889. Transmembrane protein 8B has little functional information except as an inhibitor of cancer cell proliferation. To our knowledge, this is the first study linking TMEM8B to whole organism growth and body size under standard conditions. Additional work will be necessary to identify the underlying functional variant(s). Once identified, such variants could be used to improve sheep production through selective breeding.
Collapse
|
29
|
Dong K, Yang M, Han J, Ma Q, Han J, Song Z, Luosang C, Gorkhali NA, Yang B, He X, Ma Y, Jiang L. Genomic analysis of worldwide sheep breeds reveals PDGFD as a major target of fat-tail selection in sheep. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:800. [PMID: 33203382 PMCID: PMC7670677 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07210-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fat tail is a unique trait in sheep acquired during domestication. Several genomic analyses have been conducted in sheep breeds from limited geographic origins to identify the genetic factors underlying this trait. Nevertheless, these studies obtained different candidates. The results of these regional studies were easily biased by the breed structures. Results To minimize the bias and distinguish the true candidates, we used an extended data set of 968 sheep representing 18 fat-tailed breeds and 14 thin-tailed breeds from around the world, and integrated two statistical tests to detect selection signatures, including Genetic Fixation Index (FST) and difference of derived allele frequency (ΔDAF). The results showed that platelet derived growth factor D (PDGFD) exhibited the highest genetic differentiation between fat- and thin-tailed sheep breeds. Analysis of sequence variation identified that a 6.8-kb region within the first intron of PDGFD is likely the target of positive selection and contains regulatory mutation(s) in fat-tailed sheep. Histological and gene expression analyses demonstrated that PDGFD expression is associated with maturation and hemostasis of adipocytes. Further retrospective analysis of public transcriptomic datasets revealed that PDGFD expression is down-regulated during adipogenesis in both human and mouse, and is higher in fat tissues of obese individuals than that in lean individuals. Conclusions These results reveal that PDGFD is the predominant factor for the fat tail phenotype in sheep by contributing to adiopogenesis and maintaining the hemostasis of mature adipocytes. This study provides insights into the selection of fat-tailed sheep and has important application to animal breeding, as well as obesity-related human diseases. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-020-07210-9.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kunzhe Dong
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China.,Present address: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Min Yang
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - Jiangang Han
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Research Center of Grass and Livestock, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 750002, China
| | - Jilong Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - Ziyi Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Cuicheng Luosang
- Research Institute of Animal Science, Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Lhasa, 850000, China
| | - Neena Amatya Gorkhali
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Bohui Yang
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Lanzhou, 730050, China
| | - Xiaohong He
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China. .,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Yuehui Ma
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China. .,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Lin Jiang
- National Germplasm Center of Domestic Animal Resources, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing, 100193, China. .,Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, CAAS, Beijing, 100193, China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bakhtiarizadeh MR, Alamouti AA. RNA-Seq based genetic variant discovery provides new insights into controlling fat deposition in the tail of sheep. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13525. [PMID: 32782325 PMCID: PMC7419499 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70527-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic basis of fat deposition in sheep tail have not been completely elucidated yet. Understanding the genetic mechanisms controlling fat-tail size can improve breeding strategies to modulate fat deposition. RNA sequencing has made it possible to discover genetic variants that may underlie various phenotypic differences. Hence, to identify genetic variants that are important for describing different fat-tail phenotypes in sheep, RNA sequencing was used for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) calling in two Iranian sheep breeds (Lori-Bakhtiari, fat-tailed; n = 4, vs Zel, thin-tailed; n = 4). Using a stringent pipeline, a total of 112,344 known SNPs were genotyped, of which 30,550 and 42,906 SNPs were shared by at least two Lori-Bakhtiari and Zel, respectively. Comparing these SNPs showed 2,774 (including 209 missense and 25 deleterious SNPs) and 10,470 (including 1,054 missense and 116 deleterious SNPs) breed-specific SNPs in Lori-Bakhtiari and Zel sheep, respectively. Potential breed-specific SNPs were detected by considering those located in QTL regions associated with fatness or reported as important candidates in previous similar studies. Of the breed-specific SNPs, 724 and 2,905 were located in the QTL regions. Functional enrichment analysis of the affected genes revealed several enriched gene ontologies and KEGG pathways related to fat metabolism. Based on the results, several affected genes were proposed to be strongly linked with fat deposition such as DGAT2, ACSL1, ACACA, ADIPOQ, ACLY, FASN, CPT2, SCD, ADCY6, PER3, CSF1R, SLC22A4, GFPT1, CDS2, BMP6, ACSS2, ELOVL6, HOXA10 and FABP4. Moreover, several SNPs were found in the candidate genes related to fatty acid oxidation introducing them as promising candidates responsible for lower fat content in tail of Zel. Our findings provided new insights into the genetic mechanisms of fat deposition in sheep, which can serve to designing appropriate breeding programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali A Alamouti
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
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}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Genomic Scan for Selection Signature Reveals Fat Deposition in Chinese Indigenous Sheep with Extreme Tail Types. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10050773. [PMID: 32365604 PMCID: PMC7278473 DOI: 10.3390/ani10050773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary According to the tail types, sheep can be briefly classified into three groups (fat-tailed, fat-rumped, and thin-tailed sheep). In this study, we used these three typical breeds from Chinese indigenous sheep breeds to perform a genome scan for selective sweeps using Ovine Infinium HD SNP BeadChip genotype data. Results showed that 25 genomic regions exhibited selection signals and harbored 73 positional candidate genes. These genes were documented not only to be associated with tail fat formation, but also be related to reproduction, body conformation, and appearance. Our findings contributed to understanding genetic basis of fat deposition in sheep tail and provide a reference for developing new sheep breeds with an ideal tail type. Abstract It is a unique feature that fat can be deposited in sheep tails and rumps. To elucidate the genetic mechanism underlying this trait, we collected 120 individuals from three Chinese indigenous sheep breeds with extreme tail types, namely large fat-tailed sheep (n = 40), Altay sheep (n = 40), and Tibetan sheep (n = 40), and genotyped them using the Ovine Infinium HD SNP BeadChip. Then genomic scan for selection signatures was performed using the hapFLK. In total, we identified 25 genomic regions exhibiting evidence of having been under selection. Bioinformatic analysis of the genomic regions showed that selection signatures related to multiple candidate genes had a demonstrated role in phenotypic variation. Nine genes have documented association with sheep tail types, including WDR92, TBX12, WARS2, BMP2, VEGFA, PDGFD, HOXA10, ALX4, and ETAA1. Moreover, a number of genes were of particular interest, including RXFP2 associated with the presence/absence and morphology of horns; MITF involved in coat color; LIN52 and SYNDIG1L related to the number of teats; MSRB3 gene associated with ear sizes; LTBP2 considered as a positional candidate genes for number of ribs; JAZF1 regulating lipid metabolism; PGRMC2, SPAG17, TSHR, GTF2A1, and LARP1B implicated with reproductive traits. Our findings provide insights into fat tail formation and a reference for carrying out molecular breeding and conservation in sheep.
Collapse
|
33
|
Lu Z, Liu J, Han J, Yang B. Association Between BMP2 Functional Polymorphisms and Sheep Tail Type. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10040739. [PMID: 32340359 PMCID: PMC7223367 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is strongly selected in both fat-tailed and thin-tailed sheep and may be a candidate gene for sheep tail type selection. However, the mechanism of action of BMP2 in sheep tail fat deposition remains unclear. This study investigated genetic variation and haplotype combinations of the BMP2 gene in sheep with different tail types, aiming to reveal the molecular mechanism of BMP2 in sheep tail fat deposition. We detected a total of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (g.48401619 T > A, g.48401272 C > A, and g.48401136 C > T) among 533 sheep. The alleles and genotype frequencies of these SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and showed significant correlations with tail length. Linkage disequilibrium existed between the g.48401272 C > A and g.48401136 C > T sites, where CACT was the predominant genotype. At the cellular level, the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) were upregulated after BMP2 overexpression; there were significantly higher levels of PPARγ than controls at 0 d and 1 d, and of LPL than controls at 1 d and 7 d. These results indicate that the BMP2 gene may participate in sheep tail fat deposition and could be used for molecular-marker-assisted selection of sheep tail type.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zengkui Lu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (Z.L.); (J.L.); (J.H.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Jianbin Liu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (Z.L.); (J.L.); (J.H.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Jilong Han
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (Z.L.); (J.L.); (J.H.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Bohui Yang
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; (Z.L.); (J.L.); (J.H.)
- Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-931-211-5272
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Li Q, Lu Z, Jin M, Fei X, Quan K, Liu Y, Ma L, Chu M, Wang H, Wei C. Verification and Analysis of Sheep Tail Type-Associated PDGF-D Gene Polymorphisms. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10010089. [PMID: 31935823 PMCID: PMC7022463 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary PDGF-D can be considered a candidate gene for selection for sheep tail type. This study investigated genetic variation of the PDGF-D gene in sheep with different tail types verified at a cellular level and revealed the molecular mechanism of PDGF-D in sheep tail fat deposition. We detected a total of two SNPs among 533 sheep. g.4122606 C > G site was significantly correlated with tail length, and g.3852134 C > T site was significantly correlated with tail width. In addition, overexpression of PDGF-D in sheep preadipocytes can promote adipogenic differentiation. The PDGF-D gene may participate in sheep tail fat deposition and could be used for molecular marker-assisted selection of sheep tail type. Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between the platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D) gene and sheep tail type character and explore the potential underlying mechanism. A total of 533 sheep were included in this study. Polymorphic sites were examined by Pool-seq, and individual genotype identification and correlation analysis between tail type data were conducted using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS) method. JASPART website was used to predict transcription factor binding sites in the promoter region with and without PDGF-D gene mutation. The effect of PDGF-D on adipogenic differentiation of sheep preadipocytes was investigated. Two single nucleotide polymorphism sites were identified: g.4122606 C > G site was significantly correlated with tail length, and g.3852134 C > T site was significantly correlated with tail width. g.3852134 C > T was located in the promoter region. Six transcription factor binding sites were eliminated after promoter mutation, and three new transcription factor binding sites appeared. Expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and lipoproteinlipase (LPL) were significantly up-regulated upon PDGF-D overexpression. Oil red O staining showed increased small and large oil drops in the PDGF-D overexpression group. Together these results indicate the PDGF-D gene is an important gene controlling sheep tail shape and regulating sheep tail fat deposition to a certain degree.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Zengkui Lu
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China;
| | - Meilin Jin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Xiaojuan Fei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Kai Quan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, China;
| | - Yongbin Liu
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Animal Husbandry Science, Hohhot 010031, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Mingxing Chu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Huihua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (C.W.)
| | - Caihong Wei
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Q.L.); (M.J.); (X.F.); (L.M.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence: (H.W.); (C.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Yuan Z, Xiang R, Li W, Li F, Yue X. Transcriptomic analyses revealed common tailed and perirenal adipose differentially expressed genes in four Chinese indigenous sheep breeds. Livest Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2019.103832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
36
|
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: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Yuan Z, Li W, Li F, Yue X. Selection signature analysis reveals genes underlying sheep milking performance. Arch Anim Breed 2019; 62:501-508. [PMID: 31807661 PMCID: PMC6859915 DOI: 10.5194/aab-62-501-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sheep milk is the most important feed resource for newborn lambs and an important food resource for humans. Sheep milk production and ingredients are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. In this study, we implemented selection signature analysis using Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip data of 78 meat Lacaune and 103 milk Lacaune sheep, which have similar genetic backgrounds, from the Sheep HapMap project to identify candidate genes related to ovine milk traits. Since different methods can detect different variation types and complement each other, we used a haplotype-based method (hapFLK) to implement selection signature analysis. The results revealed six selection signature regions showing signs of being selected ( P < 0.001 ): chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6, 13 and 18. In addition, 38 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to sheep milk performance were identified in selection signature regions, which contain 334 candidate genes. Of those, SUCNR1 (succinate receptor 1) and PPARGC1A (PPARG coactivator 1 alpha) may be the most significant genes that affect sheep milking performance, which supply a significant indication for future studies to investigate candidate genes that play an important role in milk production and quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zehu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou
University, Lanzhou, 730020, P. R. China
| | - Wanhong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou
University, Lanzhou, 730020, P. R. China
| | - Fadi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou
University, Lanzhou, 730020, P. R. China
- Engineering Laboratory of Sheep Breeding and Reproduction
Biotechnology in Gansu Province, Minqin, 733300, P. R. China
| | - Xiangpeng Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems; Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Affairs; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou
University, Lanzhou, 730020, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Mastrangelo S, Bahbahani H, Moioli B, Ahbara A, Al Abri M, Almathen F, da Silva A, Belabdi I, Portolano B, Mwacharo JM, Hanotte O, Pilla F, Ciani E. Novel and known signals of selection for fat deposition in domestic sheep breeds from Africa and Eurasia. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209632. [PMID: 31199810 PMCID: PMC6568386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic regions subjected to selection frequently show signatures such as within-population reduced nucleotide diversity and outlier values of differentiation among differentially selected populations. In this study, we analyzed 50K SNP genotype data of 373 animals belonging to 23 sheep breeds of different geographic origins using the Rsb (extended haplotype homozygosity) and FST statistical approaches, to identify loci associated with the fat-tail phenotype. We also checked if these putative selection signatures overlapped with regions of high-homozygosity (ROH). The analyses identified novel signals and confirmed the presence of selection signature in genomic regions that harbor candidate genes known to affect fat deposition. Several genomic regions that frequently appeared in ROH were also identified within each breed, but only two ROH islands overlapped with the putative selection signatures. The results reported herein provide the most complete genome-wide study of selection signatures for fat-tail in African and Eurasian sheep breeds; they also contribute insights into the genetic basis for the fat tail phenotype in sheep, and confirm the great complexity of the mechanisms that underlie quantitative traits, such as the fat-tail.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Hussain Bahbahani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
| | - Bianca Moioli
- Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (CREA), Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Abulgasim Ahbara
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
| | - Mohammed Al Abri
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
| | - Faisal Almathen
- Department of Public Health and Animal Welfare, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Alhufuf, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anne da Silva
- Université de Limoges, INRA, PEREINE EA7500, USC1061 GAMAA, Limoges, France
| | - Ibrahim Belabdi
- Science Veterinary Institute, University of Blida, Blida, Algeria
- Laboratory of Biotechnology related to Animal Reproduction (LBRA), University of Blida, Blida, Algeria
| | - Baldassare Portolano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Joram M. Mwacharo
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Pilla
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Elena Ciani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Zhang T, Gao H, Sahana G, Zan Y, Fan H, Liu J, Shi L, Wang H, Du L, Wang L, Zhao F. Genome-wide association studies revealed candidate genes for tail fat deposition and body size in the Hulun Buir sheep. J Anim Breed Genet 2019; 136:362-370. [PMID: 31045295 DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fat-tailed sheep have a unique characteristic of depositing fat in their tails. In the present study, we conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on traits related to tail fat deposition and body size in the Hulun Buir sheep. A total number of 300 individuals belonging to two fat-tailed lines of the Hulun Buir sheep breed genotyped with the Ovine Infinium HD SNP BeadChip were included in the current study. Two mixed models, one for continuous and one for binary phenotypic traits, were employed to analyse ten traits, that is, body length (BL), body height (BH), chest girth (CG), tail length (TL), tail width (TW), tail circumference (TC), carcass weight (CW), tail fat weight (TF), ratio of CW to TF (RCT) and tail type (TT). We identified 7, 6, 7, 2, 10 and 1 SNPs significantly associated with traits TF, CW, RCT, TW, TT and CG, respectively. Their associated genomic regions harboured 42 positional candidate genes. Out of them, 13 candidate genes including SMURF2, FBF1, DTNBP1, SETD7 and RBM11 have been associated with fat metabolism in sheep. The RBM11 gene has already been identified in a previous study on signatures of selection in this specific sheep population. Two more genes, that is, SMARCA5 and GAB1 were associated with body size in sheep. The present study has identified candidate genes that might be implicated in tail fat deposition and body size in sheep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tongyu Zhang
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongding Gao
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Goutam Sahana
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Yanjun Zan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hongying Fan
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liangyu Shi
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongwei Wang
- Beijing Compass Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Lixin Du
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lixian Wang
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fuping Zhao
- Key Laborary of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction (Poultry) of Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Rapid evolution of a retro-transposable hotspot of ovine genome underlies the alteration of BMP2 expression and development of fat tails. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:261. [PMID: 30940097 PMCID: PMC6445056 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5620-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sheep have developed the ability to store fat in their tails, which is a unique way of reserving energy to survive a harsh environment. However, the mechanism underlying this adaptive trait remains largely unsolved. Results In the present study, we provide evidence for the genetic determinants of fat tails, based on whole genome sequences of 89 individual sheep. A genome-wide scan of selective sweep identified several candidate loci including a region at chromosome 13, a haplotype of which underwent rapid evolution and spread through fat-tailed populations in China and the Middle East. Sequence analysis revealed an inter-genic origin of this locus, which later became a hotspot of ruminant-specific retro-transposon named BovB. Additionally, the candidate locus was validated based on a fat- and thin-tailed cross population. The expression of an upstream gene BMP2 was differentially regulated between fat-tailed and thin-tailed individuals in tail adipose and several other tissue types. Conclusions Our findings suggest the fixation of fat tails in domestic sheep is caused by a selective sweep near a retro-transposable hotspot at chromosome 13, the diversity of which specifically affects the expression of BMP2. The present study has shed light onto the understanding of fat metabolism. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5620-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
|
41
|
Ahbara A, Bahbahani H, Almathen F, Al Abri M, Agoub MO, Abeba A, Kebede A, Musa HH, Mastrangelo S, Pilla F, Ciani E, Hanotte O, Mwacharo JM. Genome-Wide Variation, Candidate Regions and Genes Associated With Fat Deposition and Tail Morphology in Ethiopian Indigenous Sheep. Front Genet 2019; 9:699. [PMID: 30687385 PMCID: PMC6334744 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Variations in body weight and in the distribution of body fat are associated with feed availability, thermoregulation, and energy reserve. Ethiopia is characterized by distinct agro-ecological and human ethnic farmer diversity of ancient origin, which have impacted on the variation of its indigenous livestock. Here, we investigate autosomal genome-wide profiles of 11 Ethiopian indigenous sheep populations using the Illumina Ovine 50 K SNP BeadChip assay. Sheep from the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, China, and western, northern and southern Africa were included to address globally, the genetic variation and history of Ethiopian populations. Population relationship and structure analysis separated Ethiopian indigenous fat-tail sheep from their North African and Middle Eastern counterparts. It indicates two main genetic backgrounds and supports two distinct genetic histories for African fat-tail sheep. Within Ethiopian sheep, our results show that the short fat-tail sheep do not represent a monophyletic group. Four genetic backgrounds are present in Ethiopian indigenous sheep but at different proportions among the fat-rump and the long fat-tail sheep from western and southern Ethiopia. The Ethiopian fat-rump sheep share a genetic background with Sudanese thin-tail sheep. Genome-wide selection signature analysis identified eight putative candidate regions spanning genes influencing growth traits and fat deposition (NPR2, HINT2, SPAG8, INSR), development of limbs and skeleton, and tail formation (ALX4, HOXB13, BMP4), embryonic development of tendons, bones and cartilages (EYA2, SULF2), regulation of body temperature (TRPM8), body weight and height variation (DIS3L2), control of lipogenesis and intracellular transport of long-chain fatty acids (FABP3), the occurrence and morphology of horns (RXFP2), and response to heat stress (DNAJC18). Our findings suggest that Ethiopian fat-tail sheep represent a uniquely admixed but distinct genepool that presents an important resource for understanding the genetic control of skeletal growth, fat metabolism and associated physiological processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abulgasim Ahbara
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya
| | - Hussain Bahbahani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
| | - Faisal Almathen
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Animal Husbandry, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Al Abri
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | | | - Ayelle Abeba
- Debre Berhan Research Centre, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Adebabay Kebede
- Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- LiveGene, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Hassan Hussein Musa
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Viale delle Scienze, Università Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilla
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Elena Ciani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro ”, Bari, Italy
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
- LiveGene, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Joram M. Mwacharo
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Mastrangelo S, Moioli B, Ahbara A, Latairish S, Portolano B, Pilla F, Ciani E. Genome-wide scan of fat-tail sheep identifies signals of selection for fat deposition and adaptation. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/an17753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Fat tail in sheep represents a valuable energy reserve for facing future climate changes. The identification of genes with a role in the fat-tail phenotype may contribute to understanding the physiology of fat deposition and the mechanisms of adaptation. Genotypic data obtained with the OvineSNP50K array in 13 thin-tail sheep breeds from Italy were used to identify selection signatures of fat tail through pairwise thin- versus fat-tail sheep breed comparisons, with the following fat-tail breeds of the Mediterranean area: two unique Italian fat-tail breeds (Barbaresca and Laticauda), a Barbary sheep breed from Libya, Ossimi breed from Egypt, Cyprus Fat-Tail and Chios from the Greek islands Cyprus and Chios, respectively. Fst and χ2 values obtained for >40000 polymorphic markers allowed confirmation of 12 fat-tail associations that were previously reported in Chinese and Iranian breeds. Two of these signals – on OAR 7 and OAR 13 – are in the proximity of two genes – VRTN and BMP2 – with a role in the variation of vertebral number and in fat-tail formation respectively. Two identified signals on OAR 6 and OAR 15 encompass two genes, PDGFRA and PDGFD, involved in the differentiation of preadipocytes. Further signals detected herein were reported in Chinese sheep as signatures of adaptation to desert areas. For several of the detected associations, the known role in either fat deposition or adaptation, thus contributing to revealing the molecular basis underlying mechanisms of energy storage and climate adaptation.
Collapse
|
43
|
Identification of genomic regions harboring diversity between Holstein and two local endangered breeds, Modenese and Maremmana. Livest Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
44
|
Ma L, Li Z, Cai Y, Xu H, Yang R, Lan X. Genetic variants in fat- and short-tailed sheep from high-throughput RNA-sequencing data. Anim Genet 2018; 49:483-487. [DOI: 10.1111/age.12699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Ma
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture; College of Animal Science and Technology; Northwest A&F University; Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
| | - Z. Li
- College of Life Sciences; Northwest A&F University; Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
| | - Y. Cai
- Science Experimental Center; Northwest University for Nationalities; Lanzhou Gansu 730030 China
- College of Life Science and Engineering; Northwest University for Nationalities; Lanzhou 730030 China
| | - H. Xu
- Science Experimental Center; Northwest University for Nationalities; Lanzhou Gansu 730030 China
- College of Life Science and Engineering; Northwest University for Nationalities; Lanzhou 730030 China
| | - R. Yang
- College of Life Sciences; Northwest A&F University; Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
| | - X. Lan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture; College of Animal Science and Technology; Northwest A&F University; Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Moioli B, Steri R, Catillo G. Genomic Regions in Local Endangered Sheep Encode Potentially Favorable Genes. Anim Biotechnol 2018; 29:12-19. [PMID: 28346054 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2017.1286351] [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] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The economic evaluation of farm animal genetic resources plays a key role in developing conservation programs. However, to date, the link between diversity as assessed by neutral genetic markers and the functional diversity is not yet understood. Two genome-wide comparisons, using over 44,000 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, identified the markers with the highest difference in allele frequency between the Alpago endangered breed and two clusters, composed of four specialized dairy sheep, and four meat breeds respectively. The genes in proximity of these markers were mapped to known pathways of the Gene Ontology to determine which ones were most represented. Our results indicated that the differences of the Alpago breed from the more productive sheep rely upon genes involved in cellular defense and repair mechanisms. A higher number of different markers and genes were detected in the comparison with the specialized dairy sheep. These genes play a role in complex biological processes: metabolic, homeostatic, neurological system, and macromolecular organization; such processes may possibly explain the evolution of gene function as a result of selection to improve milk yield.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Moioli
- a Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria , Monterotondo , Italy
| | - Roberto Steri
- a Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria , Monterotondo , Italy
| | - Gennaro Catillo
- a Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria , Monterotondo , Italy
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Zhao YX, Yang J, Lv FH, Hu XJ, Xie XL, Zhang M, Li WR, Liu MJ, Wang YT, Li JQ, Liu YG, Ren YL, Wang F, Hehua EE, Kantanen J, Arjen Lenstra J, Han JL, Li MH. Genomic Reconstruction of the History of Native Sheep Reveals the Peopling Patterns of Nomads and the Expansion of Early Pastoralism in East Asia. Mol Biol Evol 2017. [PMID: 28645168 PMCID: PMC5850515 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
China has a rich resource of native sheep (Ovis aries) breeds associated with historical movements of several nomadic societies. However, the history of sheep and the associated nomadic societies in ancient China remains poorly understood. Here, we studied the genomic diversity of Chinese sheep using genome-wide SNPs, mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal variations in > 1,000 modern samples. Population genomic analyses combined with archeological records and historical ethnic demographics data revealed genetic signatures of the origins, secondary expansions and admixtures, of Chinese sheep thereby revealing the peopling patterns of nomads and the expansion of early pastoralism in East Asia. Originating from the Mongolian Plateau ∼5,000‒5,700 years ago, Chinese sheep were inferred to spread in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River ∼3,000‒5,000 years ago following the expansions of the Di-Qiang people. Afterwards, sheep were then inferred to reach the Qinghai-Tibetan and Yunnan-Kweichow plateaus ∼2,000‒2,600 years ago by following the north-to-southwest routes of the Di-Qiang migration. We also unveiled two subsequent waves of migrations of fat-tailed sheep into northern China, which were largely commensurate with the migrations of ancestors of Hui Muslims eastward and Mongols southward during the 12th‒13th centuries. Furthermore, we revealed signs of argali introgression into domestic sheep, extensive historical mixtures among domestic populations and strong artificial selection for tail type and other traits, reflecting various breeding strategies by nomadic societies in ancient China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Xin Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China
| | - Ji Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Feng-Hua Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Ju Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China
| | - Xing-Long Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, China
| | - Min Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wen-Rong Li
- Animal Biotechnological Research Center, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, China
| | - Ming-Jun Liu
- Animal Biotechnological Research Center, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, China
| | - Yu-Tao Wang
- College of Life and Geographic Sciences, Kashgar University, Kashgar, China
| | - Jin-Quan Li
- College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yong-Gang Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
| | - Yan-Ling Ren
- Shandong Binzhou Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Binzhou, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Institute of Sheep and Goat Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - EEr Hehua
- Grass-Feeding Livestock Engineering Technology Research Center, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, China
| | - Juha Kantanen
- Green Technology, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland.,Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Jian-Lin Han
- CAAS-ILRI Joint Laboratory on Livestock and Forage Genetic Resources, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.,Livestock Genetics Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Meng-Hua Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Xu SS, Ren X, Yang GL, Xie XL, Zhao YX, Zhang M, Shen ZQ, Ren YL, Gao L, Shen M, Kantanen J, Li MH. Genome-wide association analysis identifies the genetic basis of fat deposition in the tails of sheep (Ovis aries). Anim Genet 2017; 48:560-569. [PMID: 28677334 DOI: 10.1111/age.12572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fat-tailed sheep (Ovis aries) can survive in harsh environments and satisfy human's intake of dietary fat. However, the animals require more feed, which increases the cost of farming. Thus, most farmers currently prefer thin-tailed, short-tailed or docked sheep. To date, the molecular mechanism of the formation of fat tails in sheep has not been completely elucidated. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study using phenotypes and genotypes (the Ovine Infinium HD SNP BeadChip genotype data) of two breeds of contrasting tail types (78 Small-tailed and 78 Large-tailed Han sheep breeds) to identify functional genes and variants associated with fat deposition. We identified four significantly (rs416433540, rs409848439, rs408118325 and rs402128848) and three approximately associated autosomal SNPs (rs401248376, rs402445895 and rs416201901). Gene annotation indicated that the surrounding genes (CREB1, STEAP4, CTBP1 and RIP140, also known as NRIP1) function in lipid storage or fat cell regulation. Furthermore, through an X-chromosome-wide association analysis, we detected significantly associated SNPs in the OARX: 88-89 Mb region, which could be a strong candidate genomic region for fat deposition in tails of sheep. Our results represent a new genomic resource for sheep genetics and breeding. In addition, the findings provide novel insights into genetic mechanisms of fat deposition in the tail of sheep and other mammals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S-S Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - X Ren
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.,Annoroad Gene Technology Co. Ltd, Beijing, 100176, China
| | - G-L Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.,Department of Life Sciences, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, 476000, China
| | - X-L Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Y-X Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - M Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Z-Q Shen
- Shandong Binzhou Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Binzhou, 256600, China
| | - Y-L Ren
- Shandong Binzhou Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Binzhou, 256600, China
| | - L Gao
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, 832000, China.,State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - M Shen
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, 832000, China.,State Key Laboratory of Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Breeding, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi, 832000, China
| | - J Kantanen
- Green Technology, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, 31600, Finland.,Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, 70211, Finland
| | - M-H Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Seroussi E, Rosov A, Shirak A, Lam A, Gootwine E. Unveiling genomic regions that underlie differences between Afec-Assaf sheep and its parental Awassi breed. Genet Sel Evol 2017; 49:19. [PMID: 28187715 PMCID: PMC5301402 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-017-0296-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sheep production in Israel has improved by crossing the fat-tailed local Awassi breed with the East Friesian and later, with the Booroola Merino breed, which led to the formation of the highly prolific Afec-Assaf strain. This strain differs from its parental Awassi breed in morphological traits such as tail and horn size, coat pigmentation and wool characteristics, as well as in production, reproductive and health traits. To identify major genes associated with the formation of the Afec-Assaf strain, we genotyped 41 Awassi and 141 Afec-Assaf sheep using the Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip array, and analyzed the results with PLINK and EMMAX software. The detected variable genomic regions that differed between Awassi and Afec-Assaf sheep (variable genomic regions; VGR) were compared to selection signatures that were reported in 48 published genome-wide association studies in sheep. Because the Afec-Assaf strain, but not the Awassi breed, carries the Booroola mutation, association analysis of BMPR1B used as the test gene was performed to evaluate the ability of this study to identify a VGR that includes such a major gene. RESULTS Of the 20 detected VGR, 12 were novel to this study. A ~7-Mb VGR was identified on Ovies aries chromosome OAR6 where the Booroola mutation is located. Similar to other studies, the most significant VGR was detected on OAR10, in a region that contains candidate genes affecting horn type (RXFP2), climate adaptation (ALOX5AP), fiber diameter (KATNAl1), coat pigmentation (FRY) and genes associated with fat distribution. The VGR on OAR2 included BNC2, which is also involved in controlling coat pigmentation in sheep. Six other VGR contained genes that were shown to be involved in coat pigmentation by analyzing their mammalian orthologues. Genes associated with fat distribution in humans, including GRB14 and COBLL1, were located in additional VGR. Sequencing DNA from Awassi and Afec-Assaf individuals revealed non-synonymous mutations in some of these candidate genes. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight VGR that differentiate the Awassi breed from the Afec-Assaf strain, some of which may include genes that confer an advantage to Afec-Assaf and Assaf over Awassi sheep with respect to intensive sheep production under Mediterranean conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Seroussi
- Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, PO Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Alexander Rosov
- Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, PO Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Andrey Shirak
- Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, PO Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Alon Lam
- Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, PO Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Elisha Gootwine
- Institute of Animal Science, ARO, The Volcani Center, PO Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon LeZion, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Yuan Z, Liu E, Liu Z, Kijas JW, Zhu C, Hu S, Ma X, Zhang L, Du L, Wang H, Wei C. Selection signature analysis reveals genes associated with tail type in Chinese indigenous sheep. Anim Genet 2016; 48:55-66. [PMID: 27807880 DOI: 10.1111/age.12477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Fat-tailed sheep have commercial value because consumers prefer high-protein and low-fat food and producers care about feed conversion rate. However, fat-tailed sheep still have some scientific significance, as the fat tail is commonly regarded as a characteristic of environmental adaptability. Finding the candidate genes associated with fat tail formation is essential for breeding and conservation. To identify these candidate genes, we applied FST and hapFLK approaches in fat- and thin-tailed sheep with available 50K SNP genotype data. These two methods found 6.24 Mb of overlapped regions and 43 genes that may associated with fat tail development. Gene annotation showed that HOXA11, BMP2, PPP1CC, SP3, SP9, WDR92, PROKR1 and ETAA1 may play important roles in fat tail formation. These findings provide insight into tail fat development and a guide for molecular breeding and conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Z Yuan
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - E Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Z Liu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - J W Kijas
- CSIRO Agriculture Flagship, Brisbane, Australia
| | - C Zhu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - S Hu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - X Ma
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - L Zhang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - L Du
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - H Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - C Wei
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|