title: Whole-genome analysis of introgressive hybridization and characterization of the bovine legacy of Mongolian yaks.
abstract: The yak is remarkable for its adaptation to high altitude and occupies a central place in the economies of the mountainous regions of Asia. At lower elevations, it is common to hybridize yaks with cattle to combine the yak's hardiness with the productivity of cattle. Hybrid males are sterile, however, preventing the establishment of stable hybrid populations, but not a limited introgression after backcrossing several generations of female hybrids to male yaks. Here we inferred bovine haplotypes in the genomes of 76 Mongolian yaks using high-density SNP genotyping and whole-genome sequencing. These yaks inherited ∼1.3% of their genome from bovine ancestors after nearly continuous admixture over at least the last 1,500 years. The introgressed regions are enriched in genes involved in nervous system development and function, and particularly in glutamate metabolism and neurotransmission. We also identified a novel mutation associated with a polled (hornless) phenotype originating from Mongolian Turano cattle. Our results suggest that introgressive hybridization contributed to the improvement of yak management and breeding.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Animal Genetics and Husbandry, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ivica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Medugorac
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.affiliation: GABI, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grohs
authors.affiliation: Chair of Animal Genetics and Husbandry, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rothammer
authors.affiliation: Mongolian Jak Society, Sum, Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
authors.forename: Yondon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zagdsuren
authors.affiliation: Center of Biotechnology and Molecular Diagnostics of the L.K. Ernst Institute of Animal Husbandry, Moscow region, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gladyr
authors.affiliation: Center of Biotechnology and Molecular Diagnostics of the L.K. Ernst Institute of Animal Husbandry, Moscow region, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zinovieva
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR 1388 Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage GeT-PlaGe Genomic Facility, Castanet-Tolosan, France.|Université de Toulouse, INPT, ENSAT, UMR 1388 Génétique, Physiologie et Systèmes d'Elevage, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.affiliation: Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Grub, Germany.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seichter
authors.affiliation: Tierzuchtforschung e.V. München, Grub, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingolf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Russ
authors.affiliation: AgriGenomics, Illumina, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eggen
authors.affiliation: Genetics Institute, Faculty of Life Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Garrett
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hellenthal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Department for Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gottfried
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brem
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.affiliation: GABI, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.|ALLICE, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Aurélien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capitan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study / Q000379:methods; D005838:Genotype; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics