title: Genomic Regions in Local Endangered Sheep Encode Potentially Favorable Genes.
abstract: The economic evaluation of farm animal genetic resources plays a key role in developing conservation programs. However, to date, the link between diversity as assessed by neutral genetic markers and the functional diversity is not yet understood. Two genome-wide comparisons, using over 44,000 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, identified the markers with the highest difference in allele frequency between the Alpago endangered breed and two clusters, composed of four specialized dairy sheep, and four meat breeds respectively. The genes in proximity of these markers were mapped to known pathways of the Gene Ontology to determine which ones were most represented. Our results indicated that the differences of the Alpago breed from the more productive sheep rely upon genes involved in cellular defense and repair mechanisms. A higher number of different markers and genes were detected in the comparison with the specialized dairy sheep. These genes play a role in complex biological processes: metabolic, homeostatic, neurological system, and macromolecular organization; such processes may possibly explain the evolution of gene function as a result of selection to improve milk yield.
authors.affiliation: a Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria , Monterotondo , Italy.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7222-0991
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moioli
authors.affiliation: a Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria , Monterotondo , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steri
authors.affiliation: a Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria , Monterotondo , Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catillo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D056727:Endangered Species; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers
keywords: Dairy sheep; Ovine BeadChip 50K; endangered breeds; farm animal genetic resources; genome-wide analysis