Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco
Sheep farming is a major source of meat in Morocco and plays a key role in the country’s agriculture. This study aims at characterizing the whole-genome diversity and demographic history of the main Moroccan sheep breeds, as well as to identify selection signatures within and between breeds. Whole g...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Genetics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.723599/full |
| _version_ | 1818696270380793856 |
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| author | Abdessamad Ouhrouch Abdessamad Ouhrouch Simon Boitard Frédéric Boyer Bertrand Servin Anne Da Silva François Pompanon Abdelmajid Haddioui Badr Benjelloun |
| author_facet | Abdessamad Ouhrouch Abdessamad Ouhrouch Simon Boitard Frédéric Boyer Bertrand Servin Anne Da Silva François Pompanon Abdelmajid Haddioui Badr Benjelloun |
| author_sort | Abdessamad Ouhrouch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sheep farming is a major source of meat in Morocco and plays a key role in the country’s agriculture. This study aims at characterizing the whole-genome diversity and demographic history of the main Moroccan sheep breeds, as well as to identify selection signatures within and between breeds. Whole genome data from 87 individuals representing the five predominant local breeds were used to estimate their level of neutral genetic diversity and to infer the variation of their effective population size over time. In addition, we used two methods to detect selection signatures: either for detecting selective sweeps within each breed separately or by detecting differentially selected regions by contrasting different breeds. We identified hundreds of genomic regions putatively under selection, which related to several biological terms involved in local adaptation or the expression of zootechnical performances such as Growth, UV protection, Cell maturation or Feeding behavior. The results of this study revealed selection signatures in genes that have an important role in traits of interest and increased our understanding of how genetic diversity is distributed in these local breeds. Thus, Moroccan local sheep breeds exhibit both a high genetic diversity and a large set of adaptive variations, and therefore, represent a valuable genetic resource for the conservation of sheep in the context of climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:58:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-777bd040924b4101bda99b1fd07f2179 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-8021 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:58:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Genetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-777bd040924b4101bda99b1fd07f21792022-12-21T21:45:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212021-12-011210.3389/fgene.2021.723599723599Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From MoroccoAbdessamad Ouhrouch0Abdessamad Ouhrouch1Simon Boitard2Frédéric Boyer3Bertrand Servin4Anne Da Silva5François Pompanon6Abdelmajid Haddioui7Badr Benjelloun8Livestock Genomics Laboratory, Regional Center of Agricultural Research Tadla, National Institute of Agricultural Research INRA, Rabat, MoroccoBiotechnologies and Valorization of Plant-Genetic Resources Laboratory, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, MoroccoCBGP, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, FranceUniversité Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie MT-Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, FranceGenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRA, INPT, INP-ENVT, Castanet-Tolosan, FrancePEREINE/E2LIM, Faculty of Science and Technics, Limoges, FranceUniversité Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie MT-Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, FranceBiotechnologies and Valorization of Plant-Genetic Resources Laboratory, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, MoroccoLivestock Genomics Laboratory, Regional Center of Agricultural Research Tadla, National Institute of Agricultural Research INRA, Rabat, MoroccoSheep farming is a major source of meat in Morocco and plays a key role in the country’s agriculture. This study aims at characterizing the whole-genome diversity and demographic history of the main Moroccan sheep breeds, as well as to identify selection signatures within and between breeds. Whole genome data from 87 individuals representing the five predominant local breeds were used to estimate their level of neutral genetic diversity and to infer the variation of their effective population size over time. In addition, we used two methods to detect selection signatures: either for detecting selective sweeps within each breed separately or by detecting differentially selected regions by contrasting different breeds. We identified hundreds of genomic regions putatively under selection, which related to several biological terms involved in local adaptation or the expression of zootechnical performances such as Growth, UV protection, Cell maturation or Feeding behavior. The results of this study revealed selection signatures in genes that have an important role in traits of interest and increased our understanding of how genetic diversity is distributed in these local breeds. Thus, Moroccan local sheep breeds exhibit both a high genetic diversity and a large set of adaptive variations, and therefore, represent a valuable genetic resource for the conservation of sheep in the context of climate change.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.723599/fullsheepwhole genome sequenceslocal breedsdemographyselection signatures |
| spellingShingle | Abdessamad Ouhrouch Abdessamad Ouhrouch Simon Boitard Frédéric Boyer Bertrand Servin Anne Da Silva François Pompanon Abdelmajid Haddioui Badr Benjelloun Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco Frontiers in Genetics sheep whole genome sequences local breeds demography selection signatures |
| title | Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco |
| title_full | Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco |
| title_fullStr | Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco |
| title_short | Genomic Uniqueness of Local Sheep Breeds From Morocco |
| title_sort | genomic uniqueness of local sheep breeds from morocco |
| topic | sheep whole genome sequences local breeds demography selection signatures |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.723599/full |
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