Hybrid origin of European commercial pigs examined by an in-depth haplotype analysis on chromosome 1.

ABSTRACT: Although all farm animals have an original source of domestication, a large variety of modern breeds exist that are phenotypically highly distinct from the ancestral wild population. This phenomenon can be the result of artificial selection or gene flow from other sources into the domesticated population. The Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) has been domesticated at least twice in two geographically distinct regions during the Neolithic revolution when hunting shifted to farming. Prior to the establishment of the commercial European pig breeds we know today, some 200 years ago Chinese pigs were imported into Europe to improve local European pigs. Commercial European domesticated pigs are genetically more diverse than European wild boars, although historically the latter represents the sourc

SUBMITTER: Bosse M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4283659 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature