Genetic diversity of Arab, Baloch and Gadic sheep breeds by ovine SNP50 genotyping BeadChip

The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity and selective sweep signatures among three Arab, Baloch and Gadic sheep breeds from Afghanistan using ovine SNP50 genotyping BeadChip. In total, 45 blood samples were collected from three districts of Herat province: Shindand, Gulran and Obe. After DNA extraction from whole blood, samples were genotyped by the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip assay using standard Illumina procedures. The selective sweeps were investigated in these breeds using pair comparisons; therefore, three comparisons consisting Arabi vs Baluchi, Arabi vs Gadic and finally Baluchi vs Gadik were conducted. Population differentiation using Weir and Cockerham s FST statistic (Theta) in Afghani sheep breeds revealed 1, 3 and 16 genomic regions in Arabi vs Baluchi, Arabi vs Gadic and finally Baluchi vs Gadik comparisons that has been under selection, respectively. The results of genetic diversity revealed excess of heterozygosity within studied breeds, it can be concluded that these breeds are not threatening in terms of heterozygosity decline and can be considered as an appropriate genetic reserve for different husbandry and eugenic purposes in Afghanistan, although the sample size was not great.

Keywords:

Biodiversity , sheep , heterozygosity , SNP , Afghanistan