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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Understanding the genetic architecture of autochthonous European cattle breeds is important for developing effective conservation strategies and sustainable breeding programs. Spanish beef cattle, which trace their origins to ancient migrations from the Near East with later admixture from African populations, exhibit a rich genetic diversity shaped by environmental adaptation and selective breeding. Runs of Homozygosity (ROH) are extended stretches of identical genetic material inherited from both parents. They serve as indicators of inbreeding and selection signatures within populations. ROH islands, or regions of the genome where ROH segments are highly concentrated across individuals within a breed, indicate genomic regions under selective pressure. Methods: This study explores the distribution of ROH islands across seven Spanish beef cattle breeds (Asturiana de los Valles, Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Bruna dels Pirineus, Morucha, Retinta, Pirenaica, and Rubia Gallega). By analyzing high-density SNP data, we characterized ROH patterns and identified genomic regions with high levels of homozygosity, which may indicate selection pressures or common ancestry. Results: Our findings revealed breed-specific ROH patterns as well as shared ROH islands, underscoring genetic relationships and differentiation among the breeds. Notably, Morucha displayed the highest number of ROH, while Asturiana de los Valles had the fewest. FROH values, which indicate genomic inbreeding, varied among the breeds, with Morucha and Retinta being associated with higher values. We identified 57 ROH islands, with shared regions among populations that suggest common ancestral selection pressures. Key genes within these regions, like MSTN, are associated with muscle growth, body weight, and fertility. Conclusions: This study offers valuable insights for breeding strategies and conservation efforts, highlighting the genetic diversity and historical background of Spanish cattle breeds.

Details

Title
Runs of Homozygosity Islands in Autochthonous Spanish Cattle Breeds
Author
Hervás-Rivero, C 1 ; Mejuto-Vázquez, N 2 ; López-Carbonell, D 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Altarriba, J 1 ; Diaz, C 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Molina, A 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Rodríguez-Bermúdez, R 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Piedrafita, J 5 ; Baro, J A 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Varona, L 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Departamento de Anatomía, Embriología y Genética, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, C. Miguel Servet, 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain; [email protected] (C.H.-R.); [email protected] (D.L.-C.); [email protected] (J.A.) 
 Departamento de Anatomía, Producción Animal y Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Av. Carvallo Calero, 27002 Lugo, Spain; [email protected] (N.M.-V.); [email protected] (R.R.-B.) 
 Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain 
 Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; [email protected] 
 Departamento de Ciencia Animal y de los Alimentos, Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; [email protected] 
 Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, ETS de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Valladolid, 34004 Palencia, Spain; [email protected] 
First page
1477
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20734425
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3133003385
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.