Biodiversity studies are more efficient when large numbers of breeds belonging to several countries are involved, as they allow for an in-depth analysis of the within- and between-breed components of genetic diversity. A set of 21 microsatellites was used to investigate the genetic composition of 24 Creole goat breeds (910 animals) from 10 countries to estimate levels of genetic variability, infer population structure and understand genetic relationships among populations across the American continent. Three commercial transboundary breeds were included in the analyses to investigate admixture with Creole goats. Overall, the genetic diversity of Creole populations (mean number of alleles = 5.82 ± 1.14, observed heterozygosity = 0.585 ± 0.074) was moderate and slightly lower than what was detected in other studies with breeds from other regions. The Bayesian clustering analysis without prior information on source populations identified 22 breed clusters. Three groups comprised more than one population, namely from Brazil (Azul and Graúna; Moxotó and Repartida) and Argentina (Long and shorthair Chilluda, Pampeana Colorada and Angora-type goat). Substructure was found in Criolla Paraguaya. When prior information on sample origin was considered, 92% of the individuals were assigned to the source population (threshold q ≥ 0.700). Creole breeds are well-differentiated entities (mean coefficient of genetic differentiation = 0.111 ± 0.048, with the exception of isolated island populations). Dilution from admixture with commercial transboundary breeds appears to be negligible. Significant levels of inbreeding were detected (inbreeding coefficient > 0 in most Creole goat populations, P < 0.05). Our results provide a broad perspective on the extant genetic diversity of Creole goats, however further studies are needed to understand whether the observed geographical patterns of population structure may reflect the mode of goat colonization in the Americas.

-Genetic diversity at 13 equine microsatellite loci was compared in five endangered Spanish donkey breeds: Andaluza, Catalana, Mallorquina, Encartaciones and ZamoranoLeonesa. All of the equine microsatellites used in this study were amplified and were polymorphic in the domestic donkey breeds with the exception of HMS1, which was monomorphic, and ASB2, which failed to amplify. Allele number, frequency distributions and mean heterozygosities were very similar among the Spanish donkey breeds. The unbiased expected heterozygosity (H E ) over all the populations varied between 0.637 and 0.684 in this study. The low G ST value showed that only 3.6% of the diversity was between breeds (P < 0.01). Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were shown for a number of locuspopulation combinations, except HMS5 that showed agreement in all analysed populations. The cumulative exclusion probability (PE) was 0.999 in each breed, suggesting that the loci would be suitable for donkey parentage testing. The constructed dendrogram from the D A distance matrix showed little differentiation between Spanish breeds, but great differentiation between them and the Moroccan ass and also with the horse, used as an outgroup. These results confirm the potential use of equine microsatellite loci as a tool for genetic studies in domestic donkey populations, which could also be useful for conservation plans. donkey / endangered breed / microsatellite / diversity / genetic variability

In this study, the mitochondrial DNA diversity of six Spanish donkey breeds and two African donkey populations (one from Morocco and the other from Zimbabwe) was analysed. A total of 79 animals were sequenced for 313 bp of the cytochrome b gene, and 91 individuals for 383 bp of the D-loop region or control-region. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses of both Spanish and African populations revealed low diversity. Only six and seven haplotypes respectively were found in cytochrome b and the D-loop region. Relatively low nucleotide diversity (p) values were detected in these populations. The p values, from the D-loop region, ranged from 0.0006 to 0.0169 for the Catalana and Andaluza breeds, respectively. The obtained results seem to confirm the existence of two divergent maternal lineages of African origin (Equus asinus africanus and E. a. somaliensis). In this paper the genetic relationships between these breeds are analysed and compared with those obtained in other European populations. Also, the data on the genetic relationships between the populations, obtained from nuclear DNA (microsatellites) and mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b and D-loop region) is argued and interpreted. ZusammenfassungVariation mitochondrialer DNA und genetische Beziehungen zwischen spanischen Eselrassen (Equus asinus)In dieser Studie wurde die Diversität mitochondrialer DNA von sechs spanischen Eselrassen und zwei afrikanischen Eselpopulationen (eine aus Marokko und die andere aus Zimbabwe) analysiert. Es wurden insgesamt 79 Tiere fü r 313 bp des Cytochrom b-Gens sequenziert und 91 Individuen fü r 383 bp der D-Loop Region oder der Kontrollregion. Sequenzvergleiche und phylogenetische Analysen zeigten geringe Diversität. In der Cytochrom b und der D-Loop Region wurden nur sechs beziehungsweise sieben Haplotypen gefunden. Es wurden relativ geringe Nukleotiddiversitätswerte (p) entdeckt. Die p-Werte lagen zwischen 0,0006 und 0,0169 fü r die katalanischen bzw. die andalusischen Rassen. Die Ergebnisse scheinen die Existenz von zwei verschiedenen maternalen Linien afrikanischen Ursprungs (Equus asinus africans und E. a. somaliensis) zu bestätigen. In dieser Verö ffentlichung werden die genetischen Beziehungen zwischen diesen Rassen analysiert und mit denen verglichen, die fü r andere europäische Populationen erhalten wurden. Darü ber hinaus werden die Daten der genetischen Beziehungen zwischen den Populationen, die durch nukleäre DNA (Mikrosatelliten) und mitchondriale DNA (Cytochrom b und D-Loop Region) erhalten wurden, erö rtert und interpretiert.