Analysis of agouti signaling protein (ASIP) gene polymorphisms and association with coat color in Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries)

Abstract. The effects of mutations of the gene for tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) on the black muscles and coat color in Nanping black-boned sheep were investigated. Tyrosinase activity and melanin content in plasma were measured and compared in three random groups of sheep: Nanping black-boned (101 heads), Nanping normal (106 heads) and Romney Marsh sheep (82 heads, Ovis aries). Eight exons and their partial flanking regions of the TYRP1 gene were amplified. Six intronic mutations and six exonic polymorphisms including two non-synonymous mutations [c.203C > T (p.A68V) and c.1202T > C (p.V401A)] were identified. Using a bi-directional polymerase chain reaction allele-specific amplification (bi-PASA) of the mutation c.203C > T it was shown that the frequencies of allele C in the Nanping black-boned, Nanping normal and Romney Marsh sheep were respectively 0.955, 0.967 and 0.744. For the mutation c.1202T > C, the frequencies of allele T in the three populations of sheep were respectively 0.777, 0.745 and 0.793 as measured using the single-strand conformation polymorphism. When the data from sheep of all three populations with the CC genotype of SNP c.203C > T were pooled, it was found that there was significantly higher (P < 0.05) tyrosinase activity, content of alkali-soluble melanin and ratio of eumelanin : total melanin than in the plasma of sheep with the CT and TT genotypes. This was not so within each of the three groups of sheep. No significant effect of the TRYP1 genotype on coat color was found. Further studies will be necessary to determine the cause of the black traits in Nanping black-boned sheep.

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Phylogeography and Phylogenetic Evolution in Tibetan Sheep Based on MT-CYB Sequences

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10071177 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1177

Author(s):

Jianbin Liu ◽

Zengkui Lu ◽

Chao Yuan ◽

Fan Wang ◽

Bohui Yang

Keyword(s):

Mitochondrial Dna ◽

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Clustering Analysis ◽

Genetic Resource ◽

Population Studies ◽

Ovis Aries ◽

Base Pairs ◽

Branching Order ◽

Tibetan Sheep ◽

Phylogenetic Evolution

To date, molecular genetics and population studies in Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) have been limited, and little is known about the phylogenetic evolution and phylogeography of Tibetan sheep populations. The aim of the present research was to explore phylogeography and phylogenetic evolution of Tibetan sheep populations, on the basis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene MT-CYB (1140 base pairs). Our dataset consisted of 641 MT-CYB sequences from the same amount of animals belonging to 15 populations of Tibetan sheep living in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, China. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities were 0.748 ± 0.010 and 0.003 ± 0.001, respectively. The analysis of phylogeography revealed the presence of two formerly described haplogroups in 15 populations of Tibetan sheep, however only one haplogroup was present in Awang sheep. Moreover, 641 Tibetan sheep were distributed into a minimum of two clusters by clustering analysis. The 15 Tibetan sheep populations and 19 reference populations of 878 individuals were separated into six main groups based on their substitutions per site, from which we constructed a phylogenetic tree. Minor differences in branching order of various taxa between trees acquired from either gene were observed. This study provides insights on the origins and phylogenetic evolution of populations residing in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, which will aid information of future conservation programs aimed at conserving this valuable genetic resource.

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Rumen bacterial diversity of Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) associated with different forage types on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/cjm-2019-0154 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 65 (12) ◽

pp. 859-869 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Xiongxiong Cui ◽

Zhaofeng Wang ◽

Tianhai Yan ◽

Shenghua Chang ◽

Hong Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Bacterial Community ◽

High Throughput ◽

High Throughput Sequencing ◽

Diet Group ◽

Ovis Aries ◽

Bacterial Composition ◽

Rumen Microbiome ◽

Tibetan Sheep ◽

Native Pasture

Diet is the great determinant of bacterial composition in the rumen. However, little is known about the rumen bacterial community of Tibetan sheep living in the special ecological environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) of China. In the present study, we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate the rumen bacterial community of Tibetan sheep associated with two primary diets: alpine pasture diet (a continuation of the sheep’s natural grazing diet) and oat (Avena sativa) hay diet on the QTP. The results showed that bacterial community richness and species diversity of the oat hay diet group were significantly greater than that of the native pasture diet group (p < 0.05). Principal co-ordinate analysis and analysis of similarities revealed that the bacterial community of the oat hay diet group was distinctly different from that of the native pasture diet group (p < 0.05). Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the predominant microbial phyla in the rumen. The rumen of oat-hay-fed sheep had higher proportions of Proteobacteria and novel bacteria species than the rumen of native-pasture-fed sheep. Actinobacteria, an uncommon bacterial phylum, occurred only in the oat-hay-fed group. At the genus level, Komagataeibacter, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, and Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214 showed significantly higher relative abundance in the oat-hay-fed sheep than in the native-pasture-fed sheep (p < 0.05). This study is the first of the QTP to employ high-throughput sequencing to examine the influence of diet on the rumen microbiome of Tibetan sheep.

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Molecular characterization of tick-borne bacteria and protozoans in yaks (Bos grunniens), Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) and Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Area, China

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101466 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 101466

Author(s):

Jixu Li ◽

Yingna Jian ◽

Lijun Jia ◽

Eloiza May Galon ◽

Byamukama Benedicto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Molecular Characterization ◽

Ovis Aries ◽

Bos Grunniens ◽

Camelus Bactrianus ◽

Plateau Area ◽

Tibetan Sheep ◽

Bactrian Camels

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MHC class II DRB1 and DQA2 gene polymorphisms in four indigenous breeds of sheep (Ovis aries)

Mammalian Biology ◽

10.1016/j.mambio.2016.08.002 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 81 (6) ◽

pp. 628-636 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Evangelia A. Koutsogiannouli ◽

Katerina A. Moutou ◽

Costas Stamatis ◽

Zissis Mamuris

Keyword(s):

Mhc Class Ii ◽

Gene Polymorphisms ◽

Class Ii ◽

Ovis Aries

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Variations in Behavioral and Physiological Traits in Yearling Tibetan Sheep (Ovis aries)

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11061676 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1676

Author(s):

Yibo Yu ◽

Yun Wang ◽

Liang Zhong ◽

Hongjuan Zhu ◽

Jiapeng Qu

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Adult Stage ◽

Ovis Aries ◽

Physiological Traits ◽

Behavioral Consistency ◽

Animal Evolution ◽

Behavioral Interactions ◽

Fecal Cortisol ◽

Tibetan Sheep ◽

Behavioral Variables

Temperament is a consistent behavioral difference among individuals over time or in different contexts. A comprehensive understanding of temperament and complex behavioral interactions enhances knowledge on animal evolution, welfare, and productivity. However, reports on the development of behavioral consistency over ontogeny are vague. Here, we tested the ontogeny of the temperament and physiological traits of Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) in three crucial age stages. The mean level of the risk-taking variable increased, while that of the vocalizations variable decreased. The exploration variable was stable over ontogeny. The novelty decreased and the heart rate increased from the juvenile to the adolescent stage but stabilized at the adult stage. The fecal cortisol concentration (CORT) variable was stable at the juvenile and adolescent stages but decreased at the adult stage. Stable correlations were reported for the juvenile and adolescent stages and for the behavioral variables and heart rate. However, some correlations emerged only after maturation, whereas others disappeared over ontogeny. Moreover, CORT was independent of temperament and heart rate at different ages. These results demonstrate that age affects temperament and physiology and their correlations. Hence, developmental aspects should be incorporated into future temperament studies.

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Fecal Bacterial Community of Allopatric Przewalski’s Gazelles and Their Sympatric Relatives

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.737042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ruoshuang Liu ◽

Jianbin Shi ◽

Susanne Shultz ◽

Dongsheng Guo ◽

Dingzhen Liu

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Community ◽

Community Composition ◽

Bacterial Communities ◽

Bacterial Community Composition ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Ovis Aries ◽

Host Community ◽

Tibetan Sheep ◽

Fecal Bacterial Community ◽

The Impact

Mammal gastrointestinal tracts harbor diverse bacterial communities that play important roles in digestion, development, behavior, and immune function. Although, there is an increasing understanding of the factors that affect microbial community composition in laboratory populations, the impact of environment and host community composition on microbiomes in wild populations is less understood. Given that the composition of bacterial communities can be shaped by ecological factors, particularly exposure to the microbiome of other individuals, inter-specific interactions should impact on microbiome community composition. Here, we evaluated inter-population and inter-specific similarity in the fecal microbiota of Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii), an endangered endemic ruminant around Qinghai Lake in China. We compared the fecal bacterial communities of three Przewalski’s gazelle populations, with those of two sympatric ruminants, Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries). The fecal bacterial community richness (Chao1, ACE) did not vary across the three Przewalski’s gazelle populations, nor did the composition vary between species. In contrast, the managed Przewalski’s gazelle population had higher bacterial diversity (Shannon and Simpson) and was more similar to its sympatric Tibetan sheep in beta diversity than the wild Przewalski’s gazelle populations. These results suggest that ecological factors like host community composition or diet affect Przewalski’s gazelle’s gastrointestinal bacterial community. The role of bacterial community composition in maintaining gastrointestinal health should be assessed to improve conservation management of endangered Przewalski’s gazelle. More broadly, captive breeding and reintroduction efforts may be impeded, where captive management results in dysbiosis and introduction of pathogenic bacteria. In free ranging populations, where wildlife and livestock co-occur, infection by domestic pathogens and diseases may be an underappreciated threat to wild animals.

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