Selection, recombination and population history effects on runs of homozygosity (ROH) in wild red deer (Cervus elaphus)

The distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROH) may be shaped by a number of interacting processes such as selection, recombination and population history, but little is known about the importance of these mechanisms in shaping ROH in wild populations. We combined an empirical dataset of >3000 red deer genotyped at >35,000 genome-wide autosomal SNPs and evolutionary simulations to investigate the influence of each of these factors on ROH. We assessed ROH in a focal and comparison population to investigate the effect of population history. We investigated the role of recombination using both a physical map and a genetic linkage map to search for ROH. We found differences in ROH distribution between both populations and map types indicating that population history and local recombination rate have an effect on ROH. Finally, we ran forward genetic simulations with varying population histories, recombination rates and levels of selection, allowing us to further interpret our empirical data. These simulations showed that population history has a greater effect on ROH distribution than either recombination or selection. We further show that selection can cause genomic regions where ROH is common, only when the effective population size (N-e) is large or selection is particularly strong. In populations having undergone a population bottleneck(,) genetic drift can outweigh the effect of selection. Overall, we conclude that in this population, genetic drift resulting from a historical population bottleneck is most likely to have resulted in the observed ROH distribution, with selection possibly playing a minor role.

Automated summary

The distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROH) in a wild population of red deer is shaped by selection, recombination, and population history. Population history and local recombination rate have been found to have an effect on ROH distribution by comparing populations and using different map types. Genetic drift resulting from a historical population bottleneck is the most likely cause of the observed ROH distribution in this population, with selection possibly playing a minor role.