Dataset Information

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Clarifies Taxonomic Status of the Northernmost Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola) Population.

ABSTRACT: Currently, the intraspecific taxonomy of snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) is controversial and needs to be specified using DNA molecular genetic markers. In our previous work using whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, we found that the population inhabiting Kharaulakh Ridge was genetically different from the other populations of Yakut subspecies to which it was usually referred. Here, our study was aimed at the clarification of taxonomic status of Kharaulakh snow sheep using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. A total of 87 specimens from five different geographic locations of Yakut snow sheep as well as 20 specimens of other recognized subspecies were included in this study. We identified 19 haplotypes, two of which belonged to the population from Kharaulakh Ridge. Median-joining network and Bayesian tree analyses revealed that Kharaulakh population clustered separately from all the other Yakut snow sheep. The divergence time between Kharaulakh population and Yakut snow sheep was estimated as 0.48 ± 0.19 MYA. Thus, the study of the mtDNA cytb sequences confirmed the results of genome-wide SNP analysis. Taking into account the high degree of divergence of Kharaulakh snow sheep from other groups, identified by both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers, we propose to classify the Kharaulakh population as a separate subspecies.

SUBMITTER: Dotsev AV

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8003287 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Clarifies Taxonomic Status of the Northernmost Snow Sheep (<i>Ovis nivicola</i>) Population.

Dotsev Arsen V AV Kunz Elisabeth E Kharzinova Veronika R VR Okhlopkov Innokentiy M IM Lv Feng-Hua FH Li Meng-Hua MH Rodionov Andrey N AN Shakhin Alexey V AV Sipko Taras P TP Medvedev Dmitry G DG Gladyr Elena A EA Bagirov Vugar A VA Brem Gottfried G Medugorac Ivica I Zinovieva Natalia A NA

Life (Basel, Switzerland) 20210318 3

Currently, the intraspecific taxonomy of snow sheep (<i>Ovis nivicola</i>) is controversial and needs to be specified using DNA molecular genetic markers. In our previous work using whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, we found that the population inhabiting Kharaulakh Ridge was genetically different from the other populations of Yakut subspecies to which it was usually referred. Here, our study was aimed at the clarification of taxonomic status of Kharaulakh snow sheep us ...[more]

PMID: 33803851

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Several molecular and population genetic studies have focused on the native sheep breeds of Finland. In this work, we investigated their ancestral sheep populations from Iron Age, Medieval and Post-Medieval periods by sequencing a partial mitochondrial DNA D-loop and the 5'-promoter region of the SRY gene. We compared the maternal (mitochondrial DNA haplotypes) and paternal (SNP oY1) genetic diversity of ancient sheep in Finland with modern domestic sheep populations in Europe and Asia to study temporal changes in genetic variation and affinities between ancient and modern populations. RESULTS: A 523-bp mitochondrial DNA sequence was successfully amplified for 26 of 36 sheep ancient samples i.e. five, seven and 14 samples representative of Iron Age, Medieval and Post-Medieval sheep, respectively. Genetic diversity was analyzed within the cohorts. This ancient dataset was compared with present-day data consisting of 94 animals from 10 contemporary European breeds and with GenBank DNA sequence data to carry out a haplotype sharing analysis. Among the 18 ancient mitochondrial DNA haplotypes identified, 14 were present in the modern breeds. Ancient haplotypes were assigned to the highly divergent ovine haplogroups A and B, haplogroup B being the major lineage within the cohorts. Only two haplotypes were detected in the Iron Age samples, while the genetic diversity of the Medieval and Post-Medieval cohorts was higher. For three of the ancient DNA samples, Y-chromosome SRY gene sequences were amplified indicating that they originated from rams. The SRY gene of these three ancient ram samples contained SNP G-oY1, which is frequent in modern north-European sheep breeds. CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not reveal any sign of major population replacement of native sheep in Finland since the Iron Age. Variations in the availability of archaeological remains may explain differences in genetic diversity estimates and patterns within the cohorts rather than demographic events that occurred in the past. Our ancient DNA results fit well with the genetic context of domestic sheep as determined by analyses of modern north-European sheep breeds.

Dataset Information

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Clarifies Taxonomic Status of the Northernmost Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola) Population.

Publications

Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Clarifies Taxonomic Status of the Northernmost Snow Sheep (<i>Ovis nivicola</i>) Population.

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