Liu Xinfeng, Li Zhaohong, Yan Yubin, Li Ye, Wu Hui, Pei Jie, Yan Ping, Yang Ruolin, Guo Xian, Lan Xianyong
College of Animal Science and Technology Northwest A&F University Yangling China.
College of Life Sciences Northwest A&F University Yangling China.
Evol Appl. 2020 Dec 14;14(3):860-873. doi: 10.1111/eva.13168. eCollection 2021 Mar.
Although persistent efforts have identified and characterized a few candidate genes and related biological processes with potential functions in the adaptation of many species to extreme environments, few works have been conducted to determine the genomic basis of adaptation in endangered livestock breeds that have been living in extreme conditions for more than thousands of years. To fill this gap, we sequenced the whole genomes of nine individuals from three Chinese native endangered cattle breeds that are living in high-altitude or arid environments. Phylogenetic and evolutionary history analyses of these three and other six breeds showed that the genetic structure of the cattle populations is primarily related to geographic location. Interestingly, we identified pervasive introgression from the yak to Zhangmu cattle (ZMC) that cover several genes (e.g., , and ) involved in the hypoxia response and previously identified as positive selection genes in other species, which suggested that the adaptive introgression from yak may have contributed to the adaptation of ZMC to high-altitude environments. In addition, by contrasting the breeds in opposite living conditions, we revealed a set of candidate genes with various functions from hypoxia response, water metabolism, immune response and body shape change to embryo development and skeletal system development, etc., that may be related to high-altitude or arid adaptation. Our research provides new insights into the recovery and adaptation of endangered native cattle and other species in extreme environments and valuable resources for future research on animal husbandry to cope with climate change.
尽管经过持续努力，已经鉴定并描述了一些候选基因以及相关生物学过程，它们在许多物种适应极端环境方面具有潜在功能，但针对那些已经在极端条件下生存了数千多年的濒危家畜品种，却很少开展研究来确定其适应的基因组基础。为了填补这一空白，我们对来自三个生活在高海拔或干旱环境中的中国本土濒危牛品种的九头个体进行了全基因组测序。对这三个品种以及其他六个品种的系统发育和进化历史分析表明，牛群的遗传结构主要与地理位置有关。有趣的是，我们发现牦牛对樟木牛（ZMC）存在广泛的基因渗入，涉及多个与低氧反应相关的基因（例如， 、 和 ），这些基因先前在其他物种中被鉴定为正选择基因，这表明来自牦牛的适应性基因渗入可能有助于樟木牛适应高海拔环境。此外，通过对比生活在相反环境条件下的品种，我们揭示了一组具有多种功能的候选基因，从低氧反应、水代谢、免疫反应、体型变化到胚胎发育和骨骼系统发育等，这些基因可能与高海拔或干旱适应有关。我们的研究为濒危本土牛及其他物种在极端环境中的恢复和适应提供了新的见解，并为未来应对气候变化的畜牧业研究提供了宝贵资源。
