Genetic diversity in Tunisian horse breeds
This study aimed at screening genetic diversity and differentiation in four horse breeds raised in Tunisia, the Barb, Arab-Barb, Arabian, and English Thoroughbred breeds. A total of 200 blood samples (50 for each breed) were collected from the jugular veins of animals, and genomic DNA was extrac...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Archives Animal Breeding |
| Online Access: | http://www.arch-anim-breed.net/60/153/2017/aab-60-153-2017.pdf |
| Summary: | This study aimed at screening genetic diversity and differentiation
in four horse breeds raised in Tunisia, the Barb, Arab-Barb, Arabian, and
English Thoroughbred breeds. A total of 200 blood samples (50 for each breed)
were collected from the jugular veins of animals, and genomic DNA was
extracted. The analysis of the genetic structure was carried out using a
panel of 16 microsatellite loci. Results showed that all studied
microsatellite markers were highly polymorphic in all breeds. Overall, a
total of 147 alleles were detected using the 16 microsatellite loci. The
average number of alleles per locus was 7.52 (0.49), 7.35 (0.54), 6.3 (0.44),
and 6 (0.38) for the Arab-Barb, Barb, Arabian, and English Thoroughbred
breeds, respectively. The observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.63 (0.03)
in the English Thoroughbred to 0.72 in the Arab-Barb breeds, whereas the
expected heterozygosities were between 0.68 (0.02) in the English
Thoroughbred and 0.73 in the Barb breeds. All <i>F</i><sub>ST</sub> values calculated by pairwise breed combinations were significantly different from zero
(<i>p</i> < 0.05) and an important genetic differentiation among breeds was
revealed. Genetic distances, the factorial correspondence, and principal
coordinate analyses showed that the important amount of genetic variation was
within population. These results may facilitate conservation programs for the
studied breeds and enhance preserve their genetic diversity. |
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| ISSN: | 0003-9438 2363-9822 |