Genomic ancestry and adaptive signatures in the indigenous Hetian cattle from Xinjiang Province of China revealed by whole-genome sequencing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cattle domestication and subsequent breed formation have profoundly shaped agricultural economies and ecological adaptation worldwide. Among these, Chinese indigenous breeds exhibit extensive phenotypic diversity driven by complex admixture histories. Hetian cattle, a native population from the arid Xinjiang Province of China, possess superior traits including drought tolerance and disease resistance. Despite their ecological and agricultural importance, the genomic architecture and adaptive mechanisms underpinning these traits remain poorly characterized.

Result

To address this gap, we performed whole-genome resequencing of 20 Hetian cattle and integrated comparative analyses with 162 globally representative cattle genomes. We assessed genomic diversity, populati

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12751780 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature