Pi Te, Yi Wenfeng, Mao Zengwei, Wang Zhihua, Sun Hao, Yan Shouqing
College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Front Vet Sci. 2025 Aug 21;12:1642382. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1642382. eCollection 2025.
The Tahe red deer (TRD), domesticated and artificially raised from wild Tarim red deer, is valued for its high-quality antlers and ability to survive tough desert conditions. Nowadays, the decline in the population of TRD has significantly impacted their genetic diversity, posing a serious threat to their conservation and utilization. However, information based on whole-genome sequencing data of TRD is scarce, and the mechanisms underlying adaptive characteristics remain poorly understood. Additionally, research on Tahe red deer holds great importance for elucidating the evolutionary history and adaptability of the genus . This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signals of TRD using whole-genome sequencing data. The results revealed that TRD exhibited high inbreeding level and relatively low genetic diversity, and that TRD had a closer relationship with . Using three methods, including the fixation index, nucleotide diversity and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity, there were 573 genes annotated in 2,303 overlapping candidate selection regions such as and , most of which were associated with adaptation to a hot arid environment. In summary, this study offered genomic markers and candidate genes associated with these traits, providing valuable insights for improving future breeding strategies of TRD.
塔里木马鹿是由野生塔里木马鹿驯化并人工饲养而来，因其高品质的鹿茸以及在恶劣沙漠环境中的生存能力而受到重视。如今，塔里木马鹿种群数量的下降对其遗传多样性产生了显著影响，对其保护和利用构成了严重威胁。然而，基于塔里木马鹿全基因组测序数据的信息匮乏，其适应性特征背后的机制仍知之甚少。此外，对塔里木马鹿的研究对于阐明该属的进化历史和适应性具有重要意义。本研究旨在利用全基因组测序数据研究塔里木马鹿的遗传多样性、种群结构和选择信号。结果表明，塔里木马鹿表现出高近亲繁殖水平和相对较低的遗传多样性，并且塔里木马鹿与……关系更为密切。使用固定指数、核苷酸多样性和跨种群扩展单倍型纯合性这三种方法，在诸如……等2303个重叠候选选择区域中注释了573个基因，其中大多数与适应炎热干旱环境有关。总之，本研究提供了与这些性状相关的基因组标记和候选基因，为改进未来塔里木马鹿的育种策略提供了有价值的见解。
