Genetic relationship between Mongolian and Norwegian horses?
Abstract: Human populations of Central Asian origin have contributed genetic material to northern European populations. It is likely that migrating humans carried livestock to ensure food and ease transportation. Thus, eastern genes could also have dispersed to northern European livestock populations. Using microsatellite data, we here report that the essentially different genetic distances DA and (deltamu)2 and their corresponding phylogenetic trees show close associations between the Mongolian native horse and northern European horse breeds. The genetic distances between the northern European breeds and Standardbred/Thoroughbred, representing a southern-derived source of horses, were notably larger. We suggest that contribution of genetic material from eastern horses to northern European populations is likely to have occurred.
Publication Date: 2003-02-13 PubMed ID: 12580788DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2052.2003.00922.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper explores the genetic links between Mongolian and northern European horse breeds, indicating that the human migrations from Central Asia likely introduced eastern horse genes to northern Europe.
Objective and Approach
- The researchers aim to understand the genetic relationship between the Mongolian native horse and the horse breeds of northern Europe.
- The team of researchers utilized microsatellite (a type of genetic marker) data to explore the genetic distances between these breeds.
- Two specific genetic distances – DA and (deltamu)2 – were investigated, and their corresponding phylogenetic trees were analyzed for similarities.
Findings
- The study found close associations between the Mongolian native horse and northern European horse breeds in terms of their DA and (deltamu)2 distances, suggesting a genetic relationship.
- When comparing these genetic distances between the northern European breeds and the Standardbred/Thoroughbred (breeds representing a southern-derived source), larger disparities were observed.
Implications
- The results of the study support the hypothesis that the Central Asian human populations, migrating to northern Europe, could have carried along with them their livestock, including horses.
- Thus, leading to the introduction of genetic material from eastern horses into the northern European horse populations.
- This genetic integration could be a possible reason why the studied northern European horse breeds bear a close genetic relation to the Mongolian native horse.
Cite This Article
APA
Bjørnstad G, Nilsen NØ, Røed KH.
(2003).
Genetic relationship between Mongolian and Norwegian horses?
Anim Genet, 34(1), 55-58.
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2052.2003.00922.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Morphology, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway. g.bjornstad@cgiar.org
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cluster Analysis
- Genetic Variation
- Horses / genetics
- Microsatellite Repeats / genetics
- Models, Genetic
- Mongolia
- Norway
- Phylogeny
- Population Dynamics
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