Genetic Structure of Sheep Breeds Revealed by SNP Variation
Author Information
Author(s): James W. Kijas, David Townley, Brian P. Dalrymple, Michael P. Heaton, Jillian F. Maddox, Annette McGrath, Peter Wilson, Roxann G. Ingersoll, Russell McCulloch, Sean McWilliam, Dave Tang, John McEwan, Noelle Cockett, V. Hutton Oddy, Frank W. Nicholas, Herman Raadsma
Primary Institution: CSIRO Livestock Industries, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Hypothesis
What is the genetic structure of sheep breeds based on SNP variation?
Conclusion
The study found that sheep breeds exhibit weak phylogeographic structure and low differentiation, but can be clustered based on geographic origin and breed history.
Supporting Evidence
- 6021 SNP were identified with an average density of 4.9 SNP per kb.
- Genotyping accuracy was evaluated and found to be greater than 99.8%.
- Over 85% of SNP with working assays were found to be polymorphic in economically important breeds.
Takeaway
Scientists looked at the DNA of different sheep breeds to see how they are related. They found that sheep from different places can look similar, but they can still be grouped by where they come from.
Methodology
The study involved re-sequencing 2644 genomic loci to identify SNPs and used array-based genotyping on a collection of ovine populations.
Potential Biases
There is a potential ascertainment bias in SNP discovery due to the limited diversity panel used.
Limitations
The study may have biases due to the small number of individuals used for SNP discovery, which could affect the representation of genetic diversity.
Participant Demographics
The study included 403 domestic sheep from 23 breeds and 10 wild sheep species.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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