De-novo assembled mitochondrial genome of Bhadawari buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) reveals close divergence to Egyptian buffalo.

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to assemble the mitochondrial genome of Bhadawari buffalo and do phylogenetic analysis of it. We assembled the complete mitochondrial sequence of Bhadawari buffalo de novo from short Illumina sequences generated from the paired-end library. Phylogenetic analysis was done on 24 assembled mitochondrial genomes from the Bovidae family using the Maximum Likelihood method and General Time Reversible Substitution Model.

Results: The complete circularized mitochondrial assembly of Bhadawari consists of 16,358 bp and this encodes 36 genes (13 Protein coding 22 tRNA and 2 rRNA sequences). The phylogenetic analysis with other published mitochondrial assemblies revealed a divergence time of Bubalis and Syncerus from the Bos group about 6.4 million years from today. The divergence of Syncerus-Bubalis, Mediterranean occurred at about 4.17 MYA and 1.84 MYA respectively. The Indian and Egyptian buffaloes were grouped in a subclade while Chinese and Iraqi buffaloes were in another. The Indonesian and Indian buffaloes diverged from the Chinese subclade by about 0.72 MYA.

Conclusions: The study suggests an independent selection and improvement of the Asiatic buffaloes in different geographical locations 10,000-40,000 years from today which coincides with the domestication period of buffaloes. The Bhadawari and Egyptian water buffalo revealed a more recent divergence.