title: Origin and phylogeographical structure of Chinese cattle.
abstract: Complete mitochondrial D-loop sequences of 231 samples were used to explore the origin and genetic diversity of Chinese cattle. Phylogenetical analysis of these sequences revealed both Bos taurus and Bos indicus mitochondrial types in Chinese cattle. Four of the previously identified mitochondrial DNA lineages (T1-T4) were identified in the Bos taurus type, including lineage T1, which was found for the first time in Chinese cattle. Two lineages (I1 and I2) were identified in the Bos indicus type. Our results support the suggestion that the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is the domestication site of Chinese zebu. We also found evidence that Tibetan cattle originated from taurine and zebu cattle. The distribution pattern of Chinese cattle breeds was closely related to the geographical and climatic background. It was possible to divide Chinese cattle in this study into two major groups: northern and southern cattle.
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: C Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Q L
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X Y
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005843:Geography; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial