The genomic history and global expansion of domestic donkeys

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abo3503
• Publication Date: 2022-09-08T17:57:40Z
• Authors: Evelyn T. Todd; Laure Tonasso-Cal...; Loreleï Chauvey; Stéphanie Schiavi...; Antoine Fages; Andaine Seguin-Or...; Pierre Clavel; Naveed Khan; Lucía Pérez Pardal; Laura Patterson Rosa; Pablo Librado; Harald Ringbauer; Marta Verdugo; John Southon; Jean-Marc Aury; Aude Perdereau; Emmanuelle Vila; Matilde Marzullo; Ornella Prato; Umberto Tecchiati; Giovanna Bagnasco...; Antonio Tagliacozzo; Vincenzo Tinè; Francesca Alhaique; João Luís Cardoso; Maria João Valente; Miguel Telles Ant...; Laurent Frantz; Beth Shapiro; Daniel G. Bradley; Nicolas Boulbes; Armelle Gardeisen; Liora Kolska Horwitz; Aliye Öztan; Benjamin S. Arbuckle; Vedat Onar; Benoît Clavel; Sébastien Lepetz; Ali Akbar Vahdati; Hossein Davoudi; Azadeh Mohaseb; Marjan Mashkour; Olivier Bouchez; Cécile Donnadieu; Patrick Wincker; Samantha A. Brooks; Albano Beja-Pereira; Dong-Dong Wu; Ludovic Orlando
• Keywords: Southern Levant; Equidae; Ancient DNA; Demographic history

Donkeys transformed human history as essential beasts of burden for long-distance movement, especially across semi-arid and upland environments. They remain insufficiently studied despite globally expanding providing key support to low- middle-income communities. To elucidate their domestication history, we constructed a comprehensive genome panel 207 modern 31 ancient donkeys, well 15 wild equids. We found strong phylogeographic structure in donkeys that supports single Africa ~5000 BCE, followed by further expansions this continent Eurasia ultimately returning Africa. uncover previously unknown genetic lineage the Levant ~200 which contributed increasing ancestry toward Asia. Donkey management involved inbreeding production giant bloodlines at time when mules were Roman economy military.