83 research outputs found
Genetic diversity in Tunisian horse breeds
This study aimed at screening genetic diversity and differentiation
in four horse breeds raised in Tunisia, the Barb, Arab-Barb, Arabian, and
English Thoroughbred breeds. A total of 200Â blood samples (50Â for each breed)
were collected from the jugular veins of animals, and genomic DNA was
extracted. The analysis of the genetic structure was carried out using a
panel of 16Â microsatellite loci. Results showed that all studied
microsatellite markers were highly polymorphic in all breeds. Overall, a
total of 147Â alleles were detected using the 16Â microsatellite loci. The
average number of alleles per locus was 7.52Â (0.49), 7.35Â (0.54), 6.3Â (0.44),
and 6Â (0.38) for the Arab-Barb, Barb, Arabian, and English Thoroughbred
breeds, respectively. The observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.63Â (0.03)
in the English Thoroughbred to 0.72 in the Arab-Barb breeds, whereas the
expected heterozygosities were between 0.68Â (0.02) in the English
Thoroughbred and 0.73Â in the Barb breeds. All FST values calculated by pairwise breed combinations were significantly different from zero
(p  <  0.05) and an important genetic differentiation among breeds was
revealed. Genetic distances, the factorial correspondence, and principal
coordinate analyses showed that the important amount of genetic variation was
within population. These results may facilitate conservation programs for the
studied breeds and enhance preserve their genetic diversity
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