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Ward JA, Ng'ang'a SI, Randhawa IAS, McHugo GP, O'Grady JF, Flórez JM, Browne JA, Pérez O’Brien AM, Landaeta-Hernández AJ, Garcia JF, Sonstegard TS, Frantz LAF, Salter-Townshend M, MacHugh DE. Genomic insights into the population history and adaptive traits of Latin American Criollo cattle. R Soc Open Sci 2024; 11:231388. [PMID: 38571912 PMCID: PMC10990470 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Criollo cattle, the descendants of animals brought by Iberian colonists to the Americas, have been the subject of natural and human-mediated selection in novel tropical agroecological zones for centuries. Consequently, these breeds have evolved distinct characteristics such as resistance to diseases and exceptional heat tolerance. In addition to European taurine (Bos taurus) ancestry, it has been proposed that gene flow from African taurine and Asian indicine (Bos indicus) cattle has shaped the ancestry of Criollo cattle. In this study, we analysed Criollo breeds from Colombia and Venezuela using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data to examine population structure and admixture at high resolution. Analysis of genetic structure and ancestry components provided evidence for African taurine and Asian indicine admixture in Criollo cattle. In addition, using WGS data, we detected selection signatures associated with a myriad of adaptive traits, revealing genes linked to thermotolerance, reproduction, fertility, immunity and distinct coat and skin coloration traits. This study underscores the remarkable adaptability of Criollo cattle and highlights the genetic richness and potential of these breeds in the face of climate change, habitat flux and disease challenges. Further research is warranted to leverage these findings for more effective and sustainable cattle breeding programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Ward
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Said I. Ng'ang'a
- Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University, MunichD-80539, Germany
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, UK
| | | | - Gillian P. McHugo
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - John F. O'Grady
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Julio M. Flórez
- Acceligen, Eagan, MN55121, USA
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - John A. Browne
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | | | - Antonio J. Landaeta-Hernández
- Unidad de Investigaciones Zootécnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Jóse F. Garcia
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | | | - Laurent A. F. Frantz
- Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University, MunichD-80539, Germany
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, UK
| | | | - David E. MacHugh
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
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