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Friedrich J, Bailey RI, Talenti A, Chaudhry U, Ali Q, Obishakin EF, Ezeasor C, Powell J, Hanotte O, Tijjani A, Marshall K, Prendergast J, Wiener P. Mapping restricted introgression across the genomes of admixed indigenous African cattle breeds. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:91. [PMID: 38097935 PMCID: PMC10722721 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00861-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genomes of indigenous African cattle are composed of components with Middle Eastern (taurine) and South Asian (indicine) origins, providing a valuable model to study hybridization and to identify genetic barriers to gene flow. In this study, we analysed indigenous African cattle breeds as models of hybrid zones, considering taurine and indicine samples as ancestors. In a genomic cline analysis of whole-genome sequence data, we considered over 8 million variants from 144 animals, which allows for fine-mapping of potential genomic incompatibilities at high resolution across the genome. RESULTS We identified several thousand variants that had significantly steep clines ('SCV') across the whole genome, indicating restricted introgression. Some of the SCV were clustered into extended regions, with the longest on chromosome 7, spanning 725 kb and including 27 genes. We found that variants with a high phenotypic impact (e.g. indels, intra-genic and missense variants) likely represent greater genetic barriers to gene flow. Furthermore, our findings provide evidence that a large proportion of breed differentiation in African cattle could be linked to genomic incompatibilities and reproductive isolation. Functional evaluation of genes with SCV suggest that mitonuclear incompatibilities and genes associated with fitness (e.g. resistance to paratuberculosis) could account for restricted gene flow in indigenous African cattle. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first time genomic cline analysis has been applied to identify restricted introgression in the genomes of indigenous African cattle and the results provide extended insights into mechanisms (e.g. genomic incompatibilities) contributing to hybrid differentiation. These results have important implications for our understanding of genetic incompatibilities and reproductive isolation and provide important insights into the impact of cross-breeding cattle with the aim of producing offspring that are both hardy and productive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Friedrich
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick), School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
| | - Richard I Bailey
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Andrea Talenti
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick), School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
| | - Umer Chaudhry
- School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, St. George's, Caribbean, Grenada
| | - Qasim Ali
- Department of Parasitology, The University of Agriculture Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Emmanuel F Obishakin
- Biotechnology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Chukwunonso Ezeasor
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Jessica Powell
- Division of Infection and Immunity, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick), School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
| | | | - Karen Marshall
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), ILRI Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - James Prendergast
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick), School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK
| | - Pamela Wiener
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick), School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
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Kambal S, Tijjani A, Ibrahim SAE, Ahmed MKA, Mwacharo JM, Hanotte O. Candidate signatures of positive selection for environmental adaptation in indigenous African cattle: A review. Anim Genet 2023; 54:689-708. [PMID: 37697736 DOI: 10.1111/age.13353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Environmental adaptation traits of indigenous African cattle are increasingly being investigated to respond to the need for sustainable livestock production in the context of unpredictable climatic changes. Several studies have highlighted genomic regions under positive selection probably associated with adaptation to environmental challenges (e.g. heat stress, trypanosomiasis, tick and tick-borne diseases). However, little attention has focused on pinpointing the candidate causative variant(s) controlling the traits. This review compiled information from 22 studies on signatures of positive selection in indigenous African cattle breeds to identify regions under positive selection. We highlight some key candidate genome regions and genes of relevance to the challenges of living in extreme environments (high temperature, high altitude, high infectious disease prevalence). They include candidate genes involved in biological pathways relating to innate and adaptive immunity (e.g. BoLAs, SPAG11, IL1RL2 and GFI1B), heat stress (e.g. HSPs, SOD1 and PRLH) and hypoxia responses (e.g. BDNF and INPP4A). Notably, the highest numbers of candidate regions are found on BTA3, BTA5 and BTA7. They overlap with genes playing roles in several biological functions and pathways. These include but are not limited to growth and feed intake, cell stability, protein stability and sweat gland development. This review may further guide targeted genome studies aiming to assess the importance of candidate causative mutations, within regulatory and protein-coding genome regions, to further understand the biological mechanisms underlying African cattle's unique adaption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumaya Kambal
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Abdulfatai Tijjani
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
| | - Sabah A E Ibrahim
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National University, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Mohamed-Khair A Ahmed
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Joram M Mwacharo
- Scotland's Rural College and Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, Edinburgh, UK
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Olivier Hanotte
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, International Livestock Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Ayalew W, Wu X, Tarekegn GM, Sisay Tessema T, Naboulsi R, Van Damme R, Bongcam-Rudloff E, Edea Z, Enquahone S, Yan P. Whole-Genome Resequencing Reveals Selection Signatures of Abigar Cattle for Local Adaptation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3269. [PMID: 37893993 PMCID: PMC10603685 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Over time, indigenous cattle breeds have developed disease resistance, heat tolerance, and adaptability to harsh environments. Deciphering the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptive traits is crucial for their improvement and sustainable utilization. For the first time, we performed whole-genome sequencing to unveil the genomic diversity, population structure, and selection signatures of Abigar cattle living in a tropical environment. The population structure analysis revealed that Abigar cattle exhibit high nucleotide diversity and heterozygosity, with low runs of homozygosity and linkage disequilibrium, suggesting a genetic landscape less constrained by inbreeding and enriched by diversity. Using nucleotide diversity (Pi) and population differentiation (FST) selection scan methods, we identified 83 shared genes that are likely associated with tropical adaption. The functional annotation analysis revealed that some of these genes are potentially linked to heat tolerance (HOXC13, DNAJC18, and RXFP2), immune response (IRAK3, MZB1, and STING1), and oxidative stress response (SLC23A1). Given the wider spreading impacts of climate change on cattle production, understanding the genetic mechanisms of adaptation of local breeds becomes crucial to better respond to climate and environmental changes. In this context, our finding establishes a foundation for further research into the mechanisms underpinning cattle adaptation to tropical environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wondossen Ayalew
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China;
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia; (G.M.T.); (T.S.T.)
| | - Xiaoyun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China;
| | - Getinet Mekuriaw Tarekegn
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia; (G.M.T.); (T.S.T.)
- Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Roslin Institute Building, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Tesfaye Sisay Tessema
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia; (G.M.T.); (T.S.T.)
| | - Rakan Naboulsi
- Childhood Cancer Research Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Renaud Van Damme
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bioinformatics Section, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (R.V.D.); (E.B.-R.)
| | - Erik Bongcam-Rudloff
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bioinformatics Section, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7023, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (R.V.D.); (E.B.-R.)
| | - Zewdu Edea
- Ethiopian Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 5954, Ethiopia;
| | - Solomon Enquahone
- Institute of Biotechnology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1176, Ethiopia; (G.M.T.); (T.S.T.)
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China;
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Habimana V, Nguluma AS, Nziku ZC, Ekine-Dzivenu CC, Morota G, Mrode R, Chenyambuga SW. Heat stress effects on milk yield traits and metabolites and mitigation strategies for dairy cattle breeds reared in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1121499. [PMID: 37483284 PMCID: PMC10361820 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1121499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress is an important problem for dairy industry in many parts of the world owing to its adverse effects on productivity and profitability. Heat stress in dairy cattle is caused by an increase in core body temperature, which affects the fat production in the mammary gland. It reduces milk yield, dry matter intake, and alters the milk composition, such as fat, protein, lactose, and solids-not-fats percentages among others. Understanding the biological mechanisms of climatic adaptation, identifying and exploring signatures of selection, genomic diversity and identification of candidate genes for heat tolerance within indicine and taurine dairy breeds is an important progression toward breeding better dairy cattle adapted to changing climatic conditions of the tropics. Identifying breeds that are heat tolerant and their use in genetic improvement programs is crucial for improving dairy cattle productivity and profitability in the tropics. Genetic improvement for heat tolerance requires availability of genetic parameters, but these genetic parameters are currently missing in many tropical countries. In this article, we reviewed the HS effects on dairy cattle with regard to (1) physiological parameters; (2) milk yield and composition traits; and (3) milk and blood metabolites for dairy cattle reared in tropical countries. In addition, mitigation strategies such as physical modification of environment, nutritional, and genetic development of heat tolerant dairy cattle to prevent the adverse effects of HS on dairy cattle are discussed. In tropical climates, a more and cost-effective strategy to overcome HS effects is to genetically select more adaptable and heat tolerant breeds, use of crossbred animals for milk production, i.e., crosses between indicine breeds such as Gir, white fulani, N'Dama, Sahiwal or Boran to taurine breeds such as Holstein-Friesian, Jersey or Brown Swiss. The results of this review will contribute to policy formulations with regard to strategies for mitigating the effects of HS on dairy cattle in tropical countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Habimana
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Athumani Shabani Nguluma
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | | | | | - Gota Morota
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Raphael Mrode
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
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