Genetic monitoring of horses in the Czech Republic: A large-scale study with a focus on the Czech autochthonous breeds.
Abstract: We propose the first comprehensive in-depth study monitoring horses in the Czech Republic. We scanned 9,289 animals from 44 populations for 17 equine STRs. Other equids analysed involved Equus przewalskii and Equus asinus. The total of 228 different alleles were detected, with the mean number of 13.4 per locus. The highest allelic richness (AR) was found in the Welsh Part Bred (6.01), followed by the Camargue (5.93) and Czech Sport Pony (5.91), whereas the Friesian exhibited the lowest AR (3.06). Interpopulation differences explained approximately nine per cent of the total genetic diversity. Reynold's genetic distance ranged from 0.003 between the Czech Warmblood and the Slovak Warmblood to 0.404 between the Friesian and donkeys. Close genetic proximity between the Silesian Noriker and Noriker was revealed. The Moravian Warmblood was better differentiated and more distant from the Czech Warmblood than the Kinsky Horse and retained the original genes of the old Austro-Hungarian tribes. A high gene flow level and a lack of genetic structure were found in the seven studied populations. Despite the historical bottlenecks and previous inbreeding, the Czech-Moravian Belgian Horse, Hucul, Old Kladruber Horse and Silesian Noriker did not suffer a serious loss of genetic diversity due to genetic drift/low effective population size. A NeighborNet dendrogram revealed breeds not classified in their groups according to the nomenclature (the Friesian, Hafling and Merens).
© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2018-01-19 PubMed ID: 29345072DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12313Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research involves a comprehensive genetic study of horses in the Czech Republic. A total of 9289 horses were analyzed, concluding that despite previous inbreeding and genetic bottlenecks, some Czech breeds have not suffered significant loss of genetic diversity.
Objective of the Study
- The primary aim of this research was to perform an in-depth genetic monitoring of horse populations in the Czech Republic. This effort represents the largest-scale study of its kind conducted in the region.
Methodology
- Overall, 9,289 animals from 44 different horse populations were examined. This also involved other equids such as Equus przewalskii and Equus asinus.
- Genetic variations among these populations were examined by scanning the animals for 17 different Short Tandem Repeats (STRs), sequences of DNA that occur consecutively and can be used for genetic mapping.
Findings
- A total of 228 distinct alleles (versions of a gene) were identified, with a mean (average) number of 13.4 found per each mapped loci (identified position on a chromosome).
- Allelic richness (a measure of the number of alleles in a gene pool) was highest in three breeds: the Welsh Part Bred, the Camargue, and the Czech Sport Pony. Conversely, the Friesian exhibited the lowest allelic richness.
- Only about nine per cent of the total genetic diversity could be explained by differences between the various populations.
- Genetic distances between various horse breeds were also assessed. For example, a close genetic proximity was found between the Silesian Noriker and the Noriker. The Moravian Warmblood exhibits significant genetic differentiation and distance from the Czech Warmblood.
- Despite past instances of inbreeding and genetic bottlenecks (events that cause a significant reduction in population size), certain breeds such as the Czech-Moravian Belgian Horse, Hucul, Old Kladruber Horse, and Silesian Noriker, were found not to have suffered significant loss of genetic diversity possibly due to genetic drift or low effective population size.
- A NeighborNet dendrogram (a visual diagram mapping genetic similarities between various species) was used to classify breeds. Some breeds (such as the Friesian, Hafling and Merens) were not classified within their usual groups based on standard nomenclature.
Conclusions
- This study provides invaluable insights into the genetic diversity and proximity of horse breeds in the Czech Republic. The findings can inform strategies for breeding and conservation, ensuring the preservation of this diversity for generations to come.
Cite This Article
APA
Putnová L, Štohl R, Vrtková I.
(2018).
Genetic monitoring of horses in the Czech Republic: A large-scale study with a focus on the Czech autochthonous breeds.
J Anim Breed Genet, 135(1), 73-83.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbg.12313 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratory of Agrogenomics, Department of Morphology, Physiology and Animal Genetics, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Control and Instrumentation, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Laboratory of Agrogenomics, Department of Morphology, Physiology and Animal Genetics, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Breeding
- Cluster Analysis
- Czech Republic
- Genetic Variation
- Genotype
- Horses / genetics
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Cardinali I, Giontella A, Tommasi A, Silvestrelli M, Lancioni H. Unlocking Horse Y Chromosome Diversity. Genes (Basel) 2022 Dec 2;13(12).
- Kalashnikov V, Khrabrova L, Blohina N, Zaitcev A, Kalashnikova T. Dynamics of the Inbreeding Coefficient and Homozygosity in Thoroughbred Horses in Russia. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jul 17;10(7).
- Solé M, Ablondi M, Binzer-Panchal A, Velie BD, Hollfelder N, Buys N, Ducro BJ, François L, Janssens S, Schurink A, Viklund Å, Eriksson S, Isaksson A, Kultima H, Mikko S, Lindgren G. Inter- and intra-breed genome-wide copy number diversity in a large cohort of European equine breeds. BMC Genomics 2019 Oct 22;20(1):759.
- Putnová L, Štohl R. Comparing assignment-based approaches to breed identification within a large set of horses. J Appl Genet 2019 May;60(2):187-198.
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