Journal
GIGASCIENCE
Volume 7, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giy019
Keywords
domestic animal; sheep; adaptive evolution; artificial selection; semi-feralization; horn
Categories
Funding
- Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of China [ASTIP-IAS13]
- Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System [CARS-39]
- National Key Technology Support Program [2013BAI101B09]
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [31 472 078, 31 402 041]
- National Key Scientific Instrument and Equipment Development Project [2012YQ03026108]
- National Basic Research Program of China [2011CB910204, 2011CB510102]
- Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS [2 017 325]
- Genetically Modified Organisms Breeding Major Program of China [2016ZX08009-003-006, 2016ZX08010-005-003]
- Major Science and Technology Program of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background: Animal domestication has been extensively studied, but the process of feralization remains poorly understood. Results: Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing of 99 sheep and identified a primary genetic divergence between 2 heterogeneous populations in the Tibetan Plateau, including 1 semi-feral lineage. Selective sweep and candidate gene analysis revealed local adaptations of these sheep associated with sensory perception, muscle strength, eating habit, mating process, and aggressive behavior. In particular, a horn-related gene, RXFP2, showed signs of rapid evolution specifically in the semi-feral breeds. A unique haplotype and repressed horn-related tissue expression of RXFP2 were correlated with higher horn length, as well as spiral and horizontally extended horn shape. Conclusions: Semi-feralization has an extensive impact on diverse phenotypic traits of sheep. By acquiring features like those of their wild ancestors, semi-feral sheep were able to regain fitness while in frequent contact with wild surroundings and rare human interventions. This study provides a new insight into the evolution of domestic animals when human interventions are no longer dominant.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available