Analysis of dog breed diversity using a composite selection index

Area of Science:

• Canine genetics
• Genomic diversity
• Animal breeding

Background:

• Domestic dogs exhibit significant genomic diversity due to breed development, genetic bottlenecks, and selective pressures.
• Existing methods for identifying genomic diversity can be enhanced by combining multiple approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of a combined selection index, composite selection signals (CSS), for identifying genomic diversity in distinct Asian dog breeds.
• To analyze genotype data from Qinghai-Tibet plateau dogs, Xi dogs, and Mountain hounds using the CSS method.

Main Methods:

• Applied a composite selection signals (CSS) index derived from multiple methods to existing genotype data.
• Analyzed genomic data from three Asian dog breed groups: Qinghai-Tibet plateau dogs, Xi dogs, and Mountain hounds.

Main Results:

• CSS analysis confirmed known top-ranked genomic regions and identified additional significant regions in each breed group.
• Identified specific genes (CHI3L1, LGR6, TRPC4) in top-ranked regions associated with altitude adaptation, muscle performance, and other traits.
• Highlighted significant SNPs on specific chromosomes (CFA10, CFA21, CFA1, CFA5, CFA7, CFA25) linked to breed-specific adaptations.

Conclusions:

• The composite selection signals (CSS) approach is effective for identifying novel regions of canine genome diversity.
• Findings support the use of CSS to pinpoint genomic regions potentially responsible for breed-specific phenotypes.
• The study aids in focusing future research on functional pathways contributing to canine breed diversity.