Species composition and environmental adaptation of indigenous Chinese cattle

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16438-7
• Publication Date: 2017-11-17T16:26:45Z
• Authors: Yahui Gao; Mathieu Gautier; Xiangdong Ding; Hao Zhang; Yachun Wang; Xi Wang; MD Omar Faruque; Junya Li; Shaohui Ye; Xiao Gou; Jianlin Han; Johannes A. Lenstra; Yi Zhang
• Keywords: Cline (biology); Introgression; Local adaptation

Indigenous Chinese cattle combine taurine and indicine origins occupy a broad range of different environments. By 50 K SNP genotyping we found discontinuous distribution ancestries with extremes less than 10% in the north more 90% far south southwest China. Model-based clustering f4-statistics indicate introgression both banteng gayal into southern while sporadic yak influence or near Tibetan area validate earlier findings mitochondrial DNA analysis. Geographic patterns Y-chromosomal diversity largely agree autosomal cline. The geographic genomic admixture bovine species is proposed to be combined effect prehistoric immigrations, gene flow, major rivers acting as genetic barriers, local breeding objectives environmental adaptation. Whole-genome scan for differentiation association analyses morphological covariables are remarkably consistent previous studies identify number genes implicated adaptation, which include TNFRSF19, RFX4, SP4 several coat color genes. We propose indigenous unique informative resource gene-level climate adaptation mammals.