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The genome response to artificial selection: a case study in dairy cattle
Laurence Flori1, Sébastien Fritz, Florence Jaffrézic
1INRA, UMR de Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Plos One
|August 13, 2009
Summary
Intense artificial selection on dairy cattle for milk production has shaped their genomes. This study identified 13 key regions, revealing a genetic trade-off between milk yield and reproduction in high-producing breeds.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genetics
- Genomics
- Dairy Science
Background:
- Dairy cattle breeds have undergone intensive artificial selection for milk production over the past 50 years.
- Understanding the genomic regions and physiological pathways affected by this selection is crucial for sustainable breeding programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genomic regions and physiological pathways impacted by artificial selection in French dairy cattle breeds.
- To investigate the genetic basis of the trade-off between milk production and reproduction traits.
Main Methods:
- Whole genome scan using 42,486 SNPs across Holstein, Normande, and Montbéliarde breeds.
- Estimation of F(ST) values to quantify genetic differentiation between breeds.
- Application of a local variable bandwidth kernel estimator to identify regions under selection.
- Network analysis for annotation of differentiated genes and pathway identification.
Main Results:
- Identified 13 highly significant genomic regions under strong and/or recent positive selection.
- Confirmed known genes (GHR, MC1R) associated with milk production and coloration within selected regions.
- Network analysis indicated the central role of somatotropic and gonadotropic axes in response to selection.
Conclusions:
- Genomic signatures of selection reveal a trade-off between milk production and reproduction traits in high-producing dairy cows.
- Artificial selection for milk yield has likely impacted reproductive efficiency at the genomic level.
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