Dong-Feng Wang, Pablo Orozco-terWengel, Hosein Salehian-Dehkordi, Ali Esmailizadeh, Feng-Hua Lv
{"title":"Genomic analyses of Asiatic Mouflon in Iran provide insights into the domestication and evolution of sheep","authors":"Dong-Feng Wang, Pablo Orozco-terWengel, Hosein Salehian-Dehkordi, Ali Esmailizadeh, Feng-Hua Lv","doi":"10.1186/s12711-025-00978-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Asiatic mouflon (Ovis gmelini) consists of several subspecies mainly distributed in Armenia, southern Azerbaijan, Cyprus, northern, southern, and western regions of Iran, and eastern and central regions of Turkey nowadays. Genome analyses of Asiatic mouflon in Iran revealed that they could have diverged from the direct ancestor of domestic sheep, and showed genetic introgression into domestic sheep after domestication. However, the impact of the Asiatic mouflon subspecies in Iran on sheep domestication remains unclear. Here, we conducted a comprehensive population genomics analysis of Asiatic mouflon in Iran with 788 whole-genome sequences (including 40 from Asiatic mouflon), 1104 whole mitogenomes (105 from Asiatic mouflon), and 239 Y chromosomes (21 from Asiatic mouflon). Whole-genome sequence analyses revealed two subpopulations of Asiatic mouflon in Iran: O. gmelini_2 limited on Kaboodan Island in Urmia Lake National Park and O. gmelini_1 over a wide geographic area. Phylogenetic analyses of Asiatic mouflon in Iran based on uniparental variants revealed a monophyletic lineage with the mitochondrial haplogroups C/E, and clustered into a monophyletic with Y-chromosomal lineage HY2 of sheep. Additionally, introgression tests detected significant signals of genetic introgression from O. gmelini_2 to four sheep populations (e.g., Garut, Bangladeshi, Nellore, and Sumatra) in South and Southeast Asia. In the four sheep populations, selective tests and introgression signals revealed that the wild introgression could have contributed to their body size, fat metabolism and local adaptation to the hot and humid environments in the Indian Peninsula. Our results clarified subpopulation structure of Asiatic mouflon in Iran, identifying two distinct groups: O. gmelini_1 and O. gmelini_2. Additionally, we suggest a potential genetic contribution to domestic sheep by introgression, with maternal haplogroup C and paternal lineage HY2 likely originating from the Asiatic mouflon populations in Iran. Our findings offer new insights into domestication of sheep and subsequent introgressions events from wild relatives to domestic populations.","PeriodicalId":55120,"journal":{"name":"Genetics Selection Evolution","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Genetics Selection Evolution","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-025-00978-y","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Asiatic mouflon (Ovis gmelini) consists of several subspecies mainly distributed in Armenia, southern Azerbaijan, Cyprus, northern, southern, and western regions of Iran, and eastern and central regions of Turkey nowadays. Genome analyses of Asiatic mouflon in Iran revealed that they could have diverged from the direct ancestor of domestic sheep, and showed genetic introgression into domestic sheep after domestication. However, the impact of the Asiatic mouflon subspecies in Iran on sheep domestication remains unclear. Here, we conducted a comprehensive population genomics analysis of Asiatic mouflon in Iran with 788 whole-genome sequences (including 40 from Asiatic mouflon), 1104 whole mitogenomes (105 from Asiatic mouflon), and 239 Y chromosomes (21 from Asiatic mouflon). Whole-genome sequence analyses revealed two subpopulations of Asiatic mouflon in Iran: O. gmelini_2 limited on Kaboodan Island in Urmia Lake National Park and O. gmelini_1 over a wide geographic area. Phylogenetic analyses of Asiatic mouflon in Iran based on uniparental variants revealed a monophyletic lineage with the mitochondrial haplogroups C/E, and clustered into a monophyletic with Y-chromosomal lineage HY2 of sheep. Additionally, introgression tests detected significant signals of genetic introgression from O. gmelini_2 to four sheep populations (e.g., Garut, Bangladeshi, Nellore, and Sumatra) in South and Southeast Asia. In the four sheep populations, selective tests and introgression signals revealed that the wild introgression could have contributed to their body size, fat metabolism and local adaptation to the hot and humid environments in the Indian Peninsula. Our results clarified subpopulation structure of Asiatic mouflon in Iran, identifying two distinct groups: O. gmelini_1 and O. gmelini_2. Additionally, we suggest a potential genetic contribution to domestic sheep by introgression, with maternal haplogroup C and paternal lineage HY2 likely originating from the Asiatic mouflon populations in Iran. Our findings offer new insights into domestication of sheep and subsequent introgressions events from wild relatives to domestic populations.
期刊介绍:
Genetics Selection Evolution invites basic, applied and methodological content that will aid the current understanding and the utilization of genetic variability in domestic animal species. Although the focus is on domestic animal species, research on other species is invited if it contributes to the understanding of the use of genetic variability in domestic animals. Genetics Selection Evolution publishes results from all levels of study, from the gene to the quantitative trait, from the individual to the population, the breed or the species. Contributions concerning both the biological approach, from molecular genetics to quantitative genetics, as well as the mathematical approach, from population genetics to statistics, are welcome. Specific areas of interest include but are not limited to: gene and QTL identification, mapping and characterization, analysis of new phenotypes, high-throughput SNP data analysis, functional genomics, cytogenetics, genetic diversity of populations and breeds, genetic evaluation, applied and experimental selection, genomic selection, selection efficiency, and statistical methodology for the genetic analysis of phenotypes with quantitative and mixed inheritance.