Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (12): 6116-6129.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.12.016

• ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis of the Genetic Structure of Local Sheep Breed Populations in South Xinjiang and Mining of Selection Signals

KONG Lingfeng1,2, ZHU Lijun1,2, LI Yanhao1,2, PENG Yuwei1,2, KOU Fumin1,2, LI Liang3*, LIU Shudong1,2*   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Tarim, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Aral 843300, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Circum-Tarim Livestock and Grass Resources Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Aral 843300, China;
    3. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region General Animal Husbandry Station, Urumqi 830004, China
  • Received:2025-05-06 Published:2025-12-24

Abstract: The study aimed to identify genes associated with superior traits holding significant value for genetic improvement and practical breeding programmes. This study utilized 93 Qira black sheep, 33 Pishan red sheep, and 13 Waghgir sheep. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein, followed by DNA extraction and genotyping. Genotype data quality control was performed using PLINK software (quality control standards: excluding individuals with detection rates below 90%, SNP detection rates below 95%, minimum allele frequencies below 5%, and SNPs with P<1×10-6 for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium). Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to construct evolutionary trees, analyze population ancestral components, and assess linkage disequilibrium (LD). Simultaneously, based on genome-wide runs of homozygosity (ROH) analysis and population genetic differentiation index (FST) analysis, the top 10% ROH segments were selected as high-frequency regions, and the top 5% loci by value were designated as selected regions. Reference was made to annotated genes in the sheep genome Oar_v4.0 for Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis. The FST and FROH results indicated a low level of genetic differentiation among the 3 groups, with a clear genetic background differentiation emerging at K=4. Concurrently, genes including ACVR1, ACVR1C, UPP2, CRY1, and NR4A2 were identified as candidate genes for genetic adaptation in local sheep breeds of southern Xinjiang within arid desert environments. This study revealed the genetic variation characteristics of local sheep breeds in southern Xinjiang through analysis of population genetic structure diversity and selection signals. It identified relevant superior genes from a multidimensional perspective of genetic variation, providing important reference for sheep germplasm resource conservation, new variety development, and enhancement of resource diversity.

Key words: local sheep breeds in Southern Xinjiang, population genetic structure, chip, ROH analysis, FST analysis

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