Mitochondrial DNA variation and genetic relationships in Spanish donkey breeds (Equus asinus)

Abstract

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.

Study of the Genetic Origin of the Mexican Creole Donkey (Equus asinus) by Means of the Analysis of the D-Loop Region of Mitochondrial DNA

“…Phylogenetic relationships between the sampled Mexican Creole donkeys, the Sicilian donkey and the 541 bp sequence of the horse. *The numbers at the nodes correspond to the percentage of times the topology of the nodes is repeated in 1000 replications (ATI1, ATI3) that are mainly present in African breeds, although also in almost all the Spanish breeds, principally the Catalana and Mallorquina, pointing to an origin of the Spanish breeds from a common African trunk (Aranguren et al, 2004). In another maternal lineage it seems that exclusively European breeds are found, among them the Spanish breed Encartaciones because of the presence of the AT17 haplotype, which is present only in this breed and in the Sicilian donkey.…”

“…This allowed the identi¢cation of identical sequences. For comparative purposes, all the haplotypes available in GenBank that corresponded to seven haplotypes from Spanish and African donkey breeds (Aranguren et al, 2004) (Table II) and were 325 bp in size and were located between sites 15387 and 15711 of the mtDNA were recovered. The haplotypes of the 325 bp consensus sequences A were aligned with the haplotypes recovered from GenBank with a view to determining whether the haplotypes found in Mexico are new or had been reported previously.…”

Lack of mitochondrial DNA structure in Balkan donkey is consistent with a quick spread of the species after domestication

“…; Aranguren‐Mendez et al . ; Chen et al . ), in sharp contrast to their fair representation in populations across continents (Beja‐Pereira et al .…”

Morphological, Biochemical And Hematological Characterization Of Endangered Balkan Donkey Breed

“…Only several donkey breeds have been described in accordance with the recommendation of Food and Agriculture Organization [5,6]. Such are for example the studies on Spanish [7][8][9][10][11][12] and Croatian donkey breeds [13,14].…”