Analyze Diet
Journal of genetics and genomics = Yi chuan xue bao2007; 34(8); 720-729; doi: 10.1016/S1673-8527(07)60081-2

High altitude adaptation and phylogenetic analysis of Tibetan horse based on the mitochondrial genome.

Abstract: To investigate genetic mechanisms of high altitude adaptations of animals living in the Tibetan Plateau, three mitochondrial genomes (mt-genome) of Tibetan horses living in Naqu (4,500 m) of Tibetan, Zhongdian (3,300 m) and Deqin (3,100 m) of Yunnan province were sequenced. The structures and lengths of these three mt-genomes are similar to the Cheju horse, which is related to Tibetan horses, but little shorter than the Swedish horse. The pair-wise identity of these three horses on nucleotide level is more than 99.3%. When the gene encoding the mitochondrial protein of Tibetan horses was analyzed, we found that NADH6 has higher non-synonymous mutation rate in all of three Tibetan horses. This implies that NADH6 may play a role in Tibetan horses' high altitude adaptation. NADH6 is one of the subunits of the complex I in the respiratory chain. Furthermore, 7 D-loop sequences of Tibetan horse from different areas were sequenced, and the phylogeny tree was constructed to study the origin and evolutionary history of Tibetan horses. The result showed that the genetic diverse was high among Tibetan horses. All of Tibetan horses from Naqu were clustered into one clade, and Tibetan horses from Zhongdian and Deqin were clustered into others clades. The first molecular evidence of Tibetan horses indicated in this study is that Tibetan horse population might have multiple origins.
Publication Date: 2007-08-21 PubMed ID: 17707216DOI: 10.1016/S1673-8527(07)60081-2Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigated the genetics of Tibetan horses to understand how they have adapted to high altitudes. The study found a specific gene in these horses that might play a critical role in their adaptation to high altitudes. The research also reveals that the Tibetan horse population might have originated from multiple sources.

Genetic Analysis of Tibetan Horses

  • The researchers sequenced three mitochondrial genomes (mt-genome) of Tibetan horses living at different altitudes: Naqu (4,500 m), Zhongdian (3,300 m), and Deqin (3,100 m).
  • The structures and lengths of these genomes were found to be similar to the Cheju horse (related to Tibetan horses) but slightly shorter than the Swedish horse.
  • Comparative analysis at the nucleotide level revealed a very high identity score of over 99.3% amongst the three mt-genomes.

Role of NADH6 Gene in High Altitude Adaptation

  • Upon analyzing the gene encoding the mitochondrial protein of these Tibetan horses, NADH6 was identified as having a higher rate of non-synonymous mutations in all three horses.
  • This suggests that NADH6, which is a subunit of complex I in the respiratory chain, could potentially contribute to the high altitude adaptation of Tibetan horses.

Phylogenetic Analysis and Origin of Tibetan Horses

  • Researchers sequenced 7 D-loop sequences of Tibetan horses from different regions and used this data to construct a phylogenetic tree to study the origin and evolutionary history of these animals.
  • The results revealed a high level of genetic diversity among Tibetan horses. Horses from the same region were found to cluster together in the results, forming distinct clades for horses from Naqu, Zhongdian, and Deqin.
  • This research yielded the first molecular evidence indicating that the Tibetan horse population might have multiple origins.

Cite This Article

APA
Xu S, Luosang J, Hua S, He J, Ciren A, Wang W, Tong X, Liang Y, Wang J, Zheng X. (2007). High altitude adaptation and phylogenetic analysis of Tibetan horse based on the mitochondrial genome. J Genet Genomics, 34(8), 720-729. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1673-8527(07)60081-2

Publication

ISSN: 1673-8527
NlmUniqueID: 101304616
Country: China
Language: English
Volume: 34
Issue: 8
Pages: 720-729

Researcher Affiliations

Xu, Shuqing
  • Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
Luosang, Jiangbai
    Hua, Sang
      He, Jian
        Ciren, Asan
          Wang, Wei
            Tong, Xiaomei
              Liang, Yu
                Wang, Jian
                  Zheng, Xiaoguang

                    MeSH Terms

                    • Adaptation, Biological / genetics
                    • Altitude
                    • Animals
                    • Base Composition
                    • DNA, Mitochondrial
                    • Evolution, Molecular
                    • Genetic Variation
                    • Genome, Mitochondrial / genetics
                    • Horses / classification
                    • Horses / genetics
                    • Horses / physiology
                    • Mutation
                    • Open Reading Frames
                    • Phylogeny
                    • Sequence Analysis, DNA
                    • Tibet

                    Citations

                    This article has been cited 44 times.
                    1. Gutiérrez EG, Ortega J, Savoie A, Baeza JA. The mitochondrial genome of the mountain wooly tapir, Tapirus pinchaque and a formal test of the effect of altitude on the adaptive evolution of mitochondrial protein coding genes in odd-toed ungulates.. BMC Genomics 2023 Sep 6;24(1):527.
                      doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09596-8pubmed: 37674108google scholar: lookup
                    2. Kanakachari M, Chatterjee RN, Reddy MR, Dange M, Bhattacharya TK. Indian Red Jungle fowl reveals a genetic relationship with South East Asian Red Jungle fowl and Indian native chicken breeds as evidenced through whole mitochondrial genome sequences.. Front Genet 2023;14:1083976.
                      doi: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1083976pubmed: 37621706google scholar: lookup
                    3. Sheikh A. Mitochondrial DNA sequencing of Kehilan and Hamdani horses from Saudi Arabia.. Saudi J Biol Sci 2023 Sep;30(9):103741.
                      doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103741pubmed: 37575470google scholar: lookup
                    4. Yasmin S, Kumar S, Azad GK. A computational study on mitogenome-encoded proteins of Pavo cristatus and Pavo muticus identifies key genetic variations with functional implications.. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023 Aug 7;21(1):80.
                      doi: 10.1186/s43141-023-00534-5pubmed: 37544976google scholar: lookup
                    5. Minhas BF, Beck EA, Cheng CC, Catchen J. Novel mitochondrial genome rearrangements including duplications and extensive heteroplasmy could underlie temperature adaptations in Antarctic notothenioid fishes.. Sci Rep 2023 Apr 28;13(1):6939.
                      doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-34237-1pubmed: 37117267google scholar: lookup
                    6. Enabulele EE, Lawton SP, Walker AJ, Kirk RS. Molecular epidemiological analyses reveal extensive connectivity between Echinostoma revolutum (sensu stricto) populations across Eurasia and species richness of zoonotic echinostomatids in England.. PLoS One 2023;18(2):e0270672.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270672pubmed: 36745633google scholar: lookup
                    7. Shi M, Qi L, He LS. Comparative Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome of Galatheanthemum sp. MT-2020 (Actiniaria Galatheanthemidae) From a Depth of 9,462 m at the Mariana Trench.. Front Genet 2022;13:854009.
                      doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.854009pubmed: 35754826google scholar: lookup
                    8. Wang X, Zhou S, Wu X, Wei Q, Shang Y, Sun G, Mei X, Dong Y, Sha W, Zhang H. High-altitude adaptation in vertebrates as revealed by mitochondrial genome analyses.. Ecol Evol 2021 Nov;11(21):15077-15084.
                      doi: 10.1002/ece3.8189pubmed: 34765161google scholar: lookup
                    9. Yang M, Dong D, Li X. The complete mitogenome of Phymorhynchus sp. (Neogastropoda, Conoidea, Raphitomidae) provides insights into the deep-sea adaptive evolution of Conoidea.. Ecol Evol 2021 Jun;11(12):7518-7531.
                      doi: 10.1002/ece3.7582pubmed: 34188831google scholar: lookup
                    10. Dell AC, Curry MC, Yarnell KM, Starbuck GR, Wilson PB. Mitochondrial D-loop sequence variation and maternal lineage in the endangered Cleveland Bay horse.. PLoS One 2020;15(12):e0243247.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243247pubmed: 33270708google scholar: lookup
                    11. Ramos EKDS, Freitas L, Nery MF. The role of selection in the evolution of marine turtles mitogenomes.. Sci Rep 2020 Oct 12;10(1):16953.
                      doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-73874-8pubmed: 33046778google scholar: lookup
                    12. Srikanth K, Kim NY, Park W, Kim JM, Kim KD, Lee KT, Son JH, Chai HH, Choi JW, Jang GW, Kim H, Ryu YC, Nam JW, Park JE, Kim JM, Lim D. Comprehensive genome and transcriptome analyses reveal genetic relationship, selection signature, and transcriptome landscape of small-sized Korean native Jeju horse.. Sci Rep 2019 Nov 13;9(1):16672.
                      doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53102-8pubmed: 31723199google scholar: lookup
                    13. Sun S, Sha Z, Wang Y. Divergence history and hydrothermal vent adaptation of decapod crustaceans: A mitogenomic perspective.. PLoS One 2019;14(10):e0224373.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224373pubmed: 31661528google scholar: lookup
                    14. Balakirev ES. Trans-Species Polymorphism in Mitochondrial Genome of Camarodont Sea Urchins.. Genes (Basel) 2019 Aug 5;10(8).
                      doi: 10.3390/genes10080592pubmed: 31387337google scholar: lookup
                    15. Witt KE, Huerta-Sánchez E. Convergent evolution in human and domesticate adaptation to high-altitude environments.. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019 Jul 22;374(1777):20180235.
                      doi: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0235pubmed: 31154977google scholar: lookup
                    16. Klucnika A, Ma H. A battle for transmission: the cooperative and selfish animal mitochondrial genomes.. Open Biol 2019 Mar 29;9(3):180267.
                      doi: 10.1098/rsob.180267pubmed: 30890027google scholar: lookup
                    17. Berihulay H, Abied A, He X, Jiang L, Ma Y. Adaptation Mechanisms of Small Ruminants to Environmental Heat Stress.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Feb 28;9(3).
                      doi: 10.3390/ani9030075pubmed: 30823364google scholar: lookup
                    18. Li XD, Jiang GF, Yan LY, Li R, Mu Y, Deng WA. Positive Selection Drove the Adaptation of Mitochondrial Genes to the Demands of Flight and High-Altitude Environments in Grasshoppers.. Front Genet 2018;9:605.
                      doi: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00605pubmed: 30568672google scholar: lookup
                    19. Mu W, Liu J, Zhang H. The first complete mitochondrial genome of the Mariana Trench Freyastera benthophila (Asteroidea: Brisingida: Brisingidae) allows insights into the deep-sea adaptive evolution of Brisingida.. Ecol Evol 2018 Nov;8(22):10673-10686.
                      doi: 10.1002/ece3.4427pubmed: 30519397google scholar: lookup
                    20. Kumar C, Song S, Jiang L, He X, Zhao Q, Pu Y, Malhi KK, Kamboh AA, Ma Y. Sequence Characterization of DSG3 Gene to Know Its Role in High-Altitude Hypoxia Adaptation in the Chinese Cashmere Goat.. Front Genet 2018;9:553.
                      doi: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00553pubmed: 30510564google scholar: lookup
                    21. Mu W, Liu J, Zhang H. Complete mitochondrial genome of Benthodytes marianensis (Holothuroidea: Elasipodida: Psychropotidae): Insight into deep sea adaptation in the sea cucumber.. PLoS One 2018;13(11):e0208051.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208051pubmed: 30500836google scholar: lookup
                    22. Bbole I, Zhao JL, Tang SJ, Katongo C. Mitochondrial genome annotation and phylogenetic placement of Oreochromis andersonii and O. macrochir among the cichlids of southern Africa.. PLoS One 2018;13(11):e0203095.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203095pubmed: 30481181google scholar: lookup
                    23. Yang L, Kong X, Yang S, Dong X, Yang J, Gou X, Zhang H. Haplotype diversity in mitochondrial DNA reveals the multiple origins of Tibetan horse.. PLoS One 2018;13(7):e0201564.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201564pubmed: 30052677google scholar: lookup
                    24. Lv Y, Li Y, Ruan Z, Bian C, You X, Yang J, Jiang W, Shi Q. The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Glyptothorax macromaculatus Provides a Well-Resolved Molecular Phylogeny of the Chinese Sisorid Catfishes.. Genes (Basel) 2018 Jun 4;9(6).
                      doi: 10.3390/genes9060282pubmed: 29867051google scholar: lookup
                    25. Ramos B, González-Acuña D, Loyola DE, Johnson WE, Parker PG, Massaro M, Dantas GPM, Miranda MD, Vianna JA. Landscape genomics: natural selection drives the evolution of mitogenome in penguins.. BMC Genomics 2018 Jan 16;19(1):53.
                      doi: 10.1186/s12864-017-4424-9pubmed: 29338715google scholar: lookup
                    26. Graham AM, Lavretsky P, Muñoz-Fuentes V, Green AJ, Wilson RE, McCracken KG. Migration-Selection Balance Drives Genetic Differentiation in Genes Associated with High-Altitude Function in the Speckled Teal (Anas flavirostris) in the Andes.. Genome Biol Evol 2018 Jan 1;10(1):14-32.
                      doi: 10.1093/gbe/evx253pubmed: 29211852google scholar: lookup
                    27. Zhang B, Zhang YH, Wang X, Zhang HX, Lin Q. The mitochondrial genome of a sea anemone Bolocera sp. exhibits novel genetic structures potentially involved in adaptation to the deep-sea environment.. Ecol Evol 2017 Jul;7(13):4951-4962.
                      doi: 10.1002/ece3.3067pubmed: 28690821google scholar: lookup
                    28. Hong Y, Duo H, Hong J, Yang J, Liu S, Yu L, Yi T. Resequencing and comparison of whole mitochondrial genome to gain insight into the evolutionary status of the Shennongjia golden snub-nosed monkey (SNJ R. roxellana).. Ecol Evol 2017 Jun;7(12):4456-4464.
                      doi: 10.1002/ece3.3011pubmed: 28649355google scholar: lookup
                    29. Yoon SH, Kim J, Shin D, Cho S, Kwak W, Lee HK, Park KD, Kim H. Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Korean native horse from Jeju Island: uncovering the spatio-temporal dynamics.. Mol Biol Rep 2017 Apr;44(2):233-242.
                      doi: 10.1007/s11033-017-4101-8pubmed: 28432484google scholar: lookup
                    30. Liu J, Ding X, Zeng Y, Yue Y, Guo X, Guo T, Chu M, Wang F, Han J, Feng R, Sun X, Niu C, Yang B, Guo J, Yuan C. Genetic Diversity and Phylogenetic Evolution of Tibetan Sheep Based on mtDNA D-Loop Sequences.. PLoS One 2016;11(7):e0159308.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159308pubmed: 27463976google scholar: lookup
                    31. Wang Y, Shen Y, Feng C, Zhao K, Song Z, Zhang Y, Yang L, He S. Mitogenomic perspectives on the origin of Tibetan loaches and their adaptation to high altitude.. Sci Rep 2016 Jul 15;6:29690.
                      doi: 10.1038/srep29690pubmed: 27417983google scholar: lookup
                    32. Librado P, Der Sarkissian C, Ermini L, Schubert M, Jónsson H, Albrechtsen A, Fumagalli M, Yang MA, Gamba C, Seguin-Orlando A, Mortensen CD, Petersen B, Hoover CA, Lorente-Galdos B, Nedoluzhko A, Boulygina E, Tsygankova S, Neuditschko M, Jagannathan V, Thèves C, Alfarhan AH, Alquraishi SA, Al-Rasheid KA, Sicheritz-Ponten T, Popov R, Grigoriev S, Alekseev AN, Rubin EM, McCue M, Rieder S, Leeb T, Tikhonov A, Crubézy E, Slatkin M, Marques-Bonet T, Nielsen R, Willerslev E, Kantanen J, Prokhortchouk E, Orlando L. Tracking the origins of Yakutian horses and the genetic basis for their fast adaptation to subarctic environments.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015 Dec 15;112(50):E6889-97.
                      doi: 10.1073/pnas.1513696112pubmed: 26598656google scholar: lookup
                    33. Ma X, Kang J, Chen W, Zhou C, He S. Biogeographic history and high-elevation adaptations inferred from the mitochondrial genome of Glyptosternoid fishes (Sisoridae, Siluriformes) from the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.. BMC Evol Biol 2015 Oct 28;15:233.
                      doi: 10.1186/s12862-015-0516-9pubmed: 26511921google scholar: lookup
                    34. Neary MT, Neary JM, Lund GK, Holt TN, Garry FB, Mohun TJ, Breckenridge RA. Myosin heavy chain 15 is associated with bovine pulmonary arterial pressure.. Pulm Circ 2014 Sep;4(3):496-503.
                      doi: 10.1086/677364pubmed: 25621163google scholar: lookup
                    35. Takasu M, Ishihara N, Tozaki T, Kakoi H, Maeda M, Mukoyama H. Genetic diversity of maternal lineage in the endangered Kiso horse based on polymorphism of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region.. J Vet Med Sci 2014 Nov;76(11):1451-6.
                      doi: 10.1292/jvms.14-0231pubmed: 25056676google scholar: lookup
                    36. Zhang T, Lu H, Chen C, Jiang H, Wu S. Genetic Diversity of mtDNA D-loop and Maternal Origin of Three Chinese Native Horse Breeds.. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci 2012 Jul;25(7):921-6.
                      doi: 10.5713/ajas.2011.11483pubmed: 25049645google scholar: lookup
                    37. Finch TM, Zhao N, Korkin D, Frederick KH, Eggert LS. Evidence of positive selection in mitochondrial complexes I and V of the African elephant.. PLoS One 2014;9(4):e92587.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092587pubmed: 24695069google scholar: lookup
                    38. Liu W, Yao YF, Yu Q, Ni QY, Zhang MW, Yang JD, Mai MM, Xu HL. Genetic variation and phylogenetic relationship between three serow species of the genus Capricornis based on the complete mitochondrial DNA control region sequences.. Mol Biol Rep 2013 Dec;40(12):6793-802.
                      doi: 10.1007/s11033-013-2796-8pubmed: 24057256google scholar: lookup
                    39. Vilstrup JT, Seguin-Orlando A, Stiller M, Ginolhac A, Raghavan M, Nielsen SC, Weinstock J, Froese D, Vasiliev SK, Ovodov ND, Clary J, Helgen KM, Fleischer RC, Cooper A, Shapiro B, Orlando L. Mitochondrial phylogenomics of modern and ancient equids.. PLoS One 2013;8(2):e55950.
                      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055950pubmed: 23437078google scholar: lookup
                    40. Hardouin EA, Tautz D. Increased mitochondrial mutation frequency after an island colonization: positive selection or accumulation of slightly deleterious mutations?. Biol Lett 2013 Apr 23;9(2):20121123.
                      doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.1123pubmed: 23389667google scholar: lookup
                    41. Ginolhac A, Vilstrup J, Stenderup J, Rasmussen M, Stiller M, Shapiro B, Zazula G, Froese D, Steinmann KE, Thompson JF, Al-Rasheid KA, Gilbert TM, Willerslev E, Orlando L. Improving the performance of true single molecule sequencing for ancient DNA.. BMC Genomics 2012 May 10;13:177.
                      doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-177pubmed: 22574620google scholar: lookup
                    42. Lippold S, Matzke NJ, Reissmann M, Hofreiter M. Whole mitochondrial genome sequencing of domestic horses reveals incorporation of extensive wild horse diversity during domestication.. BMC Evol Biol 2011 Nov 14;11:328.
                      doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-11-328pubmed: 22082251google scholar: lookup
                    43. Cheviron ZA, Brumfield RT. Genomic insights into adaptation to high-altitude environments.. Heredity (Edinb) 2012 Apr;108(4):354-61.
                      doi: 10.1038/hdy.2011.85pubmed: 21934702google scholar: lookup
                    44. Goto H, Ryder OA, Fisher AR, Schultz B, Kosakovsky Pond SL, Nekrutenko A, Makova KD. A massively parallel sequencing approach uncovers ancient origins and high genetic variability of endangered Przewalski's horses.. Genome Biol Evol 2011;3:1096-106.
                      doi: 10.1093/gbe/evr067pubmed: 21803766google scholar: lookup