Identification of Selection Signatures and Genetic Diversity in the Sheep

Abstract

The study utilized genome-wide data from the Illumina OvineSNP50K platform and specifically targeted the Eşme sheep population. The integrated haplotype score (iHS) and runs of homozygosity (ROH) statistical approaches were used to identify selection signatures. Using the iHS analysis, it was discovered that there are 10 genomic regions and 51 genes on chromosomes 1, 9, 11, and 12 that are under selection. Three genomic regions and 97 genes on chromosomes 6 and 11 were found to be under selection using the ROH analysis. Candidate genes associated with economic and ecological traits were detected using both approaches. Among the genetic diversity parameters considered in the study, the minor allele frequency (MAF), genetic distance between individuals (D), observed heterozygosity (Ho), and expected heterozygosity (He) values were found to be 0.300, 0.309, 0.388, and 0.390, respectively. The ratio of polymorphic SNPs (PN) was 0.947, and the average values of FROH and FHOM were 0.030 and 0.029, respectively. The study demonstrates that selection signature approaches can define the economic and ecological characteristics of farm animals using phenotypic information. The information obtained through these approaches can be utilized in breeding and conservation programs for the genetic resources of farm animals.