Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Genome Analysis Reveals Genetic Admixture and Signature of Selection for Productivity and Environmental Traits in Iraqi Cattle

Alshawi, Akil; Essa, Abdulameer; Al-Bayatti, Sahar; Hanotte, Olivier

Genome Analysis Reveals Genetic Admixture and Signature of Selection for Productivity and Environmental Traits in Iraqi Cattle Thumbnail


Authors

Akil Alshawi

Abdulameer Essa

Sahar Al-Bayatti

OLIVIER HANOTTE OLIVIER.HANOTTE@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Director of Frozen Ark Project & Professor of Genetics & Conservation



Abstract

The Near East cattle are adapted to different agro-ecological zones including desert areas, mountains habitats, and humid regions along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system. The region was one of the earliest and most significant areas of cattle husbandry. Currently, four main breeds of Iraqi cattle are recognized. Among these, the Jenoubi is found in the southern more humid part of Iraq, while the Rustaqi is found in the middle and drier region of the country. Despite their importance, Iraqi cattle have up to now been poorly characterized at the genome level. Here, we report at a genome-wide level the diversity and signature of positive selection in these two breeds. Thirty-five unrelated Jenoubi cattle, sampled in the Maysan and Basra regions, and 60 Rustaqi cattle, from around Baghdad and Babylon, were genotyped using the Illumina Bovine HD BeadChip (700K). Genetic population structure and diversity level were studied using principal component analysis (PCA), expected heterozygosity (He), observed heterozygosity (Ho), and admixture. Signatures of selection were studied using extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH) (iHS and Rsb) and inter-population Wright’s Fst. The results of PCA and admixture analysis, including European taurine, Asian indicine, African indicine, and taurine indicate that the two breeds are crossbreed zebu × taurine, with more zebu background in Jenoubi cattle compared with Rustaqi. The Rustaqi has the greatest mean heterozygosity (He = 0.37) among all breeds. iHS and Rsb signatures of selection analyses identify 68 candidate genes under positive selection in the two Iraqi breeds, while Fst analysis identifies 220 candidate genes including genes related to the innate and acquired immunity responses, different environmental selection pressures (e.g., tick resistance and heat stress), and genes of commercial interest (e.g., marbling score).

Citation

Alshawi, A., Essa, A., Al-Bayatti, S., & Hanotte, O. (2019). Genome Analysis Reveals Genetic Admixture and Signature of Selection for Productivity and Environmental Traits in Iraqi Cattle. Frontiers in Genetics, 10, Article 609. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2019.00609

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 11, 2019
Online Publication Date Jul 16, 2019
Publication Date Jul 16, 2019
Deposit Date Aug 7, 2019
Publicly Available Date Aug 8, 2019
Journal Frontiers in Genetics
Electronic ISSN 1664-8021
Publisher Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Article Number 609
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2019.00609
Keywords Bos Taurus; Bos indicus; Genetic structure; Diversity; Positive selection; Immune responses; Adaptive genes
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2402753
Publisher URL https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.00609/full
Contract Date Aug 8, 2019

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations