Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep

Tibetan sheep have developed unique adaptations for survival in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau environment. However, the functional genes and molecular mechanisms that regulate hypoxia adaptation have not been fully characterized. In this study, based on the whole-genome resequencing data for Tibetan she...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yufang Song, Chao Yuan, Xuejiao An, Tingting Guo, Wentao Zhang, Zengkui Lu, Jianbin Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/22/3212
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850267787045371904
author Yufang Song
Chao Yuan
Xuejiao An
Tingting Guo
Wentao Zhang
Zengkui Lu
Jianbin Liu
author_facet Yufang Song
Chao Yuan
Xuejiao An
Tingting Guo
Wentao Zhang
Zengkui Lu
Jianbin Liu
author_sort Yufang Song
collection DOAJ
description Tibetan sheep have developed unique adaptations for survival in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau environment. However, the functional genes and molecular mechanisms that regulate hypoxia adaptation have not been fully characterized. In this study, based on the whole-genome resequencing data for Tibetan sheep at different altitudes, the population differentiation index (<i>F</i><sub>ST</sub>) and nucleotide diversity ratio (θπ ratio) were evaluated in populations of 20 Oula sheep (3501 m altitude, OL), 20 Zashijia sheep (4369 m altitude, ZSJ), and 20 Awang sheep (4643 m altitude, AW) to reveal candidate loci related to high-altitude hypoxia. We screened 728 and 524 candidate genes in the AW vs. OL and ZSJ vs. OL groups, respectively, of which 134 genes were jointly screened. Candidate genes were mainly enriched in the Ras, melanoma, melanogenesis, VEGF, and PPAR signaling pathways. <i>HIF1AN</i>, <i>PDGFA</i>, <i>PDGFD</i>, <i>ANXA2</i>, <i>SOCS2</i>, <i>NOXA1</i>, <i>WNT7B</i>, <i>MMP14</i>, <i>GNG2</i>, <i>ATF6</i>, <i>PGAM2</i>, <i>PPP3R1</i>, <i>GSTCD</i>, and <i>PPARA</i> may play important roles in the high-altitude adaptation of Tibetan sheep. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the genes and molecular mechanisms that underlie high-altitude hypoxia adaptation in Tibetan sheep.
format Article
id doaj-art-a7223229c12340e7b8df49b377e5fb3f
institution OA Journals
issn 2076-2615
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Animals
spelling doaj-art-a7223229c12340e7b8df49b377e5fb3f2025-08-20T01:53:37ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-11-011422321210.3390/ani14223212Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan SheepYufang Song0Chao Yuan1Xuejiao An2Tingting Guo3Wentao Zhang4Zengkui Lu5Jianbin Liu6Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaKey Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on the Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, ChinaTibetan sheep have developed unique adaptations for survival in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau environment. However, the functional genes and molecular mechanisms that regulate hypoxia adaptation have not been fully characterized. In this study, based on the whole-genome resequencing data for Tibetan sheep at different altitudes, the population differentiation index (<i>F</i><sub>ST</sub>) and nucleotide diversity ratio (θπ ratio) were evaluated in populations of 20 Oula sheep (3501 m altitude, OL), 20 Zashijia sheep (4369 m altitude, ZSJ), and 20 Awang sheep (4643 m altitude, AW) to reveal candidate loci related to high-altitude hypoxia. We screened 728 and 524 candidate genes in the AW vs. OL and ZSJ vs. OL groups, respectively, of which 134 genes were jointly screened. Candidate genes were mainly enriched in the Ras, melanoma, melanogenesis, VEGF, and PPAR signaling pathways. <i>HIF1AN</i>, <i>PDGFA</i>, <i>PDGFD</i>, <i>ANXA2</i>, <i>SOCS2</i>, <i>NOXA1</i>, <i>WNT7B</i>, <i>MMP14</i>, <i>GNG2</i>, <i>ATF6</i>, <i>PGAM2</i>, <i>PPP3R1</i>, <i>GSTCD</i>, and <i>PPARA</i> may play important roles in the high-altitude adaptation of Tibetan sheep. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the genes and molecular mechanisms that underlie high-altitude hypoxia adaptation in Tibetan sheep.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/22/3212high-altitude adaptationTibetan sheep<i>F</i><sub>ST</sub>θπ ratioselection signal
spellingShingle Yufang Song
Chao Yuan
Xuejiao An
Tingting Guo
Wentao Zhang
Zengkui Lu
Jianbin Liu
Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep
Animals
high-altitude adaptation
Tibetan sheep
<i>F</i><sub>ST</sub>
θπ ratio
selection signal
title Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep
title_full Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep
title_fullStr Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep
title_full_unstemmed Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep
title_short Genome-Wide Selection Signals Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Plateau Adaptation in Tibetan Sheep
title_sort genome wide selection signals reveal candidate genes associated with plateau adaptation in tibetan sheep
topic high-altitude adaptation
Tibetan sheep
<i>F</i><sub>ST</sub>
θπ ratio
selection signal
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/22/3212
work_keys_str_mv AT yufangsong genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep
AT chaoyuan genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep
AT xuejiaoan genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep
AT tingtingguo genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep
AT wentaozhang genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep
AT zengkuilu genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep
AT jianbinliu genomewideselectionsignalsrevealcandidategenesassociatedwithplateauadaptationintibetansheep