Ancient mitochondrial genome reveals matrilineal genetic inheritance of Chinese goats

As one of the most important domestic animals in ancient China, the origin, diffusion and matrilineal inheritance of goats have been important issues of archaeological research. In this study, we successfully extracted mitochondrial whole genome sequences from 77 samples of goat remains excavated from 16 sites in China, which date back from the Late Neolithic (4300-3800 BP) to the Ming Dynasty (600-400 BP). The results of ancient DNA analysis indicated that the Chinese goat matrilineages began to expand 7000-6000 years ago. The discovery of sub-lineages A2 and B2 suggests that they may have evolved or derived in China. The expansion of lineage A and the decline in the number of lineage B provide important evidence for the eastward migration of humans from the western part of the Eurasian continent. Furthermore, this study confirms that ancient Chinese goats had contributed genetically to the modern goats of China, and that the Chinese goats are genetically related to goats in South and Southeast Asia. Mitochondrial genome analysis of ancient Chinese goats not only provides an important resource for future analyses and research, but also offers new perspectives for the origin and diffusion of domestic goats.