title: Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation in Portuguese native dog breeds: diversity and phylogenetic affinities.
abstract: In an extensive survey of the genetic diversity in Portuguese dogs, we have examined an 887-bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 8 Portuguese, 1 Spanish, and 2 North African native dog breeds, including village dogs from Portugal and Tunisia. Forty-nine haplotypes were found in the 164 individuals analyzed, with private haplotypes being found in several breeds. For example, the Castro Laboreiro Watchdog, a rare breed from a small and isolated region in Portugal, was monomorphic for mtDNA and possessed a new haplotype, which may be provisionally considered a breed-specific marker. Phylogenetic analyses recapitulated 4 major clades identified in other studies, but new haplotypes, grouping within a clade that was previously thought as geographically restricted, were detected in Portugal and Morocco. Portuguese village dogs showed no genetic differentiation from nonnative dogs or from local breeds of the areas in which the village dogs were sampled. Although Iberian and North African dog breeds possessed breed-specific mtDNA haplotypes, no significant geographic structure could be detected among them. There is no evidence for introgression of North African haplotypes in Iberian dogs, contrary to previous results for other domestic animals.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Rua Ernesto Vasconcelos, Edifício C2-3 Piso, 1749-016 Campo Grande, Portugal. pireseg@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ana Elisabete
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Lahoussine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ouragh
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalboussi
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petrucci-Fonseca
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Bruford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D001947:Breeding; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005843:Geography; D006239:Haplotypes; D009018:Morocco; D010802:Phylogeny; D011174:Portugal; D013030:Spain; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial