Microsatellite variation between an African and five European taurine breeds results in a geographical phylogenetic tree with a bison outgroup

Abstract

Introduction Genetic variation is being used extensively for individual identification and linkage analysis, and may be useful for interpopulation studies. Previously, blood groups and biochemical variants in blood cell and serum proteins have been used to study (evolutionary) relationships in mammals. But genetic divergence and gene flow among closely related populations are difficult to measure with these classical markers because their mutation rate is so low that new mutations have not had sufficient time to appear and become fixed. So they have a small number of alleles and a relatively low level of heterozygosity. These markers are now replaced by DNA markers, mostly microsatellites. These microsatellite loci are useful genetic markers at which alleles differ in length due to differences in the number of short sequence motifs arranged adjacent to one another. They are abundantly distributed throughout the mammalian genome. They have a large number of alleles, a high level of heterozygosity and are inherited in true Mendelian fashion. These characteristics make them valuable for parentage control, linkage analysis, genome mapping and phylogenetic studies. In terrestrial vertebrates with limited mobility, genetic differentiation often increases with the distance between populations or corresponds to the extent of geographic and habitat barriers (R oy et al. 1994). Investigations of short tandem repeats yield a considerable volume of genetic data regarding the similarities and divergence times of different cattle populations. Microsatellite markers are suitable for the estimation of these parameters as they are not generally subject to direct selection and environmental influences. Computation of genetic distances based on data from several loci can be used to evaluate the taxonomic relationship between populations. The aim of this study was to estimate the relative genetic variability between Belgian cattle breeds and to reconstruct the evolutionary relationship among them, also using two small genetically isolated cattle‐like populations.

Genetic Diversity and Structure of Two Prominent Zebu Cattle Breeds Adapted to the Arid Region of India Inferred from Microsatellite Polymorphism

“…The moderate F ST values implied that the majority of total allelic variation (93.5%) corresponds to differences among individuals, and only 6.5% of the total genetic variation could be attributed to differences among breeds. The genetic differentiation observed for the two Indian breeds is somewhat higher than that reported for seven European cattle breeds (0.1%) by MacHugh et al (1998) and lower than that reported for Belgian cattle (3.5%; Mommens et al 1999). The number of migrants per generation (N m ) was observed to be 3.62, which perhaps has not influenced the diffusion of genetic structure of the two cattle breeds.…”

Genetic diversity and differentiation of Ankole cattle populations in Uganda inferred from microsatellite data

“…This value for within breed variation is similar to other findings for this breed (Ndumu et al, 2008b), and quite high when compared to the 6% between 12 African cattle breeds of Cameroon and Nigeria (Ibeagha-Awemu and Erhardt, 2006). The level of differentiation was also much higher than 2.6% found between three populations of the Spanish Alberes cattle breed (Casellas et al, 2004) and 3.5% found between Belgian cattle populations (Mommens et al, 1999). This could be explained by differences in population history and management.…”

Study of genetic distances between cattle breeds of Central Europe

“…We have found similar close relationships between black and white populations, and between Polish and German Red breeds. Mommens et al (1999) evaluated the relationship of five Belgian breeds and African N'Dama by means of microsatellites. American bison served as an outgroup.…”