Deep Ancestral Introgressions between Ovine Species Shape Sheep Genomes via Argali-Mediated Gene Flow.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies revealed extensive genetic introgression between Ovis species, which affects genetic adaptation and morphological traits. However, the exact evolutionary scenarios underlying the hybridization between sheep and allopatric wild relatives remain unknown. To address this problem, we here integrate the reference genomes of several ovine and caprine species: domestic sheep, argali, bighorn sheep, snow sheep, and domestic goats. Additionally, we use 856 whole genomes representing 169 domestic sheep populations and their six wild relatives: Asiatic mouflon, urial, argali, snow sheep, thinhorn sheep, and bighorn sheep. We implement a comprehensive set of analyses to test introgression among these species. We infer that the argali lineage originated ∼3.08 to 3.35 Mya and hybridized

SUBMITTER: Lv FH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11542629 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature