1. Genome-wide analyses reveal population structure and identify candidate genes associated with tail fatness in local sheep from a semi-arid area
- Author
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I. Baazaoui, S. Bedhiaf-Romdhani, Salvatore Mastrangelo, Elena Ciani, Baazaoui I., Bedhiaf-Romdhani S., Mastrangelo S., and Ciani E.
- Subjects
Tail ,Candidate gene ,Genotype ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Introgression ,Runs of Homozygosity ,Biology ,Fat tail ,Runs of homozygosity ,SF1-1100 ,Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ,0403 veterinary science ,Settore AGR/17 - Zootecnica Generale E Miglioramento Genetico ,Animals ,Inbreeding ,Allele ,Local sheep ,Genome ,Sheep ,Fat tail, Genetic structure, Local sheep, Runs of homozygosity, Selection signatures ,Homozygote ,0402 animal and dairy science ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Selection signature ,040201 dairy & animal science ,Breed ,Animal culture ,Evolutionary biology ,Genetic structure ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Gene pool ,Genome-Wide Association Study - 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.
- Published
- 2020