Department of Animal Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1477893855, Iran.
Department of Animal Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 4537138791, Iran.
Genome. 2020 Aug;63(8):387-396. doi: 10.1139/gen-2020-0001. Epub 2020 May 14.
Natural selection and domestication have shaped modern horse populations, resulting in a vast range of phenotypically diverse breeds. Horse breeds are classified into three types (pony, light, and draft) generally based on their body type. Understanding the genetic basis of horse type variation and selective pressures related to the evolutionary trend can be particularly important for current selection strategies. Whole-genome sequences were generated for 14 pony and 32 light horses to investigate the genetic signatures of selection of the horse type in pony and light horses. In the overlapping extremes of the fixation index and nucleotide diversity results, we found novel genomic signatures of selective sweeps near key genes previously implicated in body measurements including , , , , and that may influence variation in pony and light horse types. This study contributes to a better understanding of the genetic background of differences between pony and light horse types.
自然选择和驯化塑造了现代马种群，产生了大量表型多样的品种。马品种通常根据体型分为三种类型（小型马、轻型马和重型马）。了解马体型变化的遗传基础以及与进化趋势相关的选择压力，对于当前的选择策略尤为重要。本研究为 14 匹小型马和 32 匹轻型马生成了全基因组序列，以研究小型马和轻型马体型选择的遗传特征。在固定指数和核苷酸多样性结果的重叠极值处，我们发现了先前涉及体尺的关键基因附近选择性清除的新基因组特征，这些基因包括、、、和，它们可能影响小型马和轻型马体型的变异。本研究有助于更好地理解小型马和轻型马体型差异的遗传背景。
