Genome sequencing of the extinct Eurasian wild aurochs, Bos primigenius, illuminates the phylogeography and evolution of cattle

• DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0790-2
• Publication Date: 2015-10-21T20:40:04Z
• Authors: Stephen D E Park; David A. Magee; Paul A. McGettigan; Matthew D. Teasdale; Ceiridwen J. Edwards; Amanda J. Lohan; Alison Murphy; Martin Braud; Mark T. Donoghue; Yuan Liu; Andrew T. Chamber...; Kévin Rue-Albrecht; Steven Schroeder; Charles Spillane; Shuaishuai Tai; Daniel G. Bradley; Tad S. Sonstegard; Brendan J. Loftus; David E. MacHugh
• Keywords: Ancient DNA; Lineage (genetic)

Domestication of the now-extinct wild aurochs, Bos primigenius, gave rise to two major domestic extant cattle taxa, B. taurus and indicus. While previous genetic studies have shed some light on evolutionary relationships between European aurochs modern cattle, important questions remain unanswered, including phylogenetic status whether gene flow from into early populations occurred, which genomic regions were subject selection processes during after domestication. Here, we address these using whole-genome sequencing data generated an approximately 6,750-year-old British bone genome sequence 81 additional plus genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism a diverse panel 1,225 animals. Phylogenomic analyses place as distinct outgroup lineage, supporting predominant Near Eastern origin cattle. Conversely, traditional Irish breeds share more variants with this specimen than other populations, localized ancestors perhaps through purposeful restocking by herders in Britain. Finally, functions genes showing evidence for positive are enriched neurobiology, growth, metabolism immunobiology, suggesting that biological been domestication This work provides new information regarding origins functional evolution revealing interface was significantly complex previously thought.