Evidence of coat color variation sheds new light on ancient canids.

International audienceWe have used a paleogenetics approach to investigate the genetic landscape of coat color variation in ancient Eurasian dog and wolf populations. We amplified DNA fragments of two genes controlling coat color, Mc1r (Melanocortin 1 Receptor) and CBD103 (canine-β-defensin), in respectively 15 and 19 ancient canids (dogs and wolf morphotypes) from 14 different archeological sites, throughout Asia and Europe spanning from ca. 12 000 B.P. (end of Upper Palaeolithic) to ca. 4000 B.P. (Bronze Age). We provide evidence of a new variant (R301C) of the Melanocortin 1 receptor (Mc1r) and highlight the presence of the beta-defensin melanistic mutation (CDB103-K locus) on ancient DNA from dog-and wolf-morphotype specimens. We show that the dominant K(B) allele (CBD103), which causes melanism, and R301C (Mc1r), the variant that may cause light hair color, are present as early as the beginning of the Holocene, over 10 000 years ago. These results underline the genetic diversity of prehistoric dogs. This diversity may have partly stemmed not only from the wolf gene pool captured by domestication but also from mutations very likely linked to the relaxation of natural selection pressure occurring in-line with this process

La domestication du chien en Eurasie (étude de la diversité passée, approches ostéoarchéologiques, morphométriques et paléogénétiques)

The first animal domesticated by human populations was the dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Wolves (Canis lupus), the wild ancestors of dogs, were tamed and domesticated by hunter-gathering communities during the Upper Paleolithic. However, the number of domestication events and their origin(s) remain controversial. Archeological data plead in favour of numerous domestication events. Indeed, numerous remains of paleolithical dogs have been excavated in multiple and independent Eurasian sites. The morphologies of these first canids are various with large-sized individuals displaying phenotypes close to those of captive wolves, middle-sized animals having distinct morphologies from those of their wild ancestors and small to very small dogs. In parallel, data from genomics and population genetics (based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA) performed on modern breeds of dogs are contradictory. Some data support the hypothesis of a unique domestication event in South-East of Asia, whereas other data, in agreement with the archeological hypothesis, suggest that modern dogs have originated from several distinct wolf populations. The aim of our work was to focus on the diversity of ancient wolves and dogs, ranging from the end of the Paleolithic to the Bronze Age, running both morphometrics and ancient DNA studies in parallel. More than 350 remains from wolves and dogs, coming from 41 archeological sites, were included in the study. Results obtained by the two parallel approaches are congruent. They enable us to underline that most ancient dogs (Upper Paleolithic) were domesticated at least in two geographically-different regions: Asia and Western Europe. Moreover, it seems that other events occurred in the Middle-East, possibly at the beginning of the Neolithization (around 9,000 years BP). These new domestication events marked the beginning of the diffusion of dog populations and occurred in parallel with the dissemination of Neolithic culture in Europe. To conclude, our results show that domestication phenomena cannot be solely based on observations of modern diversity.Le chien (Canis lupus familiaris) a été la première espèce domestiquée par les populations humaines. Les ancêtres sauvages des chiens, les loups (Canis lupus), ont été domestiqués par les groupes de chasseurs-cueilleurs au Paléolithique supérieur. Cependant, le nombre ainsi que l origine du ou des évènements de domestication sont toujours sujets à controverse. Les données archéologiques vont en faveur de multiples évènements de domestication. En effet, plusieurs restes de chiens paléolithiques ont été mis à jour dans de nombreux sites distants d Eurasie. Les morphologies de ces premiers chiens sont variées avec des individus de grande taille au phénotype proche de loup en captivité, des individus de taille moyenne à la morphologie clairement distincte des loups sauvages et des individus de tailles petite à très petite. Parallèlement, les données des études génomiques et de génétique des populations (basées sur l ADN mitochondrial et nucléaire) réalisées sur les races de chiens actuelles demeurent contradictoires. Certaines données vont en faveur d un seul évènement de domestication en Asie du Sud-Est alors que d autres rejoignent les hypothèses des archéologues en faveur de nombreuses populations de loups indépendantes à l origine des chiens actuels. L objectif de notre travail a été de s intéresser particulièrement à la diversité des loups et chiens anciens, datés de la fin du Paléolithique à l âge du Bronze, par des études conjointes de morphométrie et de paléogénétique. Plus de 350 restes de loups et chiens provenant de 41 sites archéologiques d Eurasie ont été introduits dans l étude. Les résultats obtenus en parallèle par les deux approches sont congruents. Ils permettent de mettre en évidence que les chiens les plus anciens (Paléolithique Supérieur) ont été domestiqués dans au moins deux régions différentes : l Asie, mais aussi l Europe de l Ouest. De plus, il apparaît que des évènements de domestication ont également eu lieu au Moyen-Orient, éventuellement au début de la Néolithisation (autour de 9,000 ans). Ces nouvelles domestications ont été à l origine de phénomènes de diffusion des populations de chiens en parallèle des diffusions de la culture Néolithique en Europe. En conclusion nos résultats illustrent que les phénomènes de domestication anciens ne peuvent être étudiés sur la seule base des observations de diversité actuelle.LYON-ENS Sciences (693872304) / SudocSudocFranceF

L’exploitation du chien, trait culturel chasséen ou caractère des sociétés européennes au tournant des 5e/4e millénaires ?

International audienceL’exploitation du chien, trait culturel chasséen ou caractère des sociétés européennes au tournant des 5e/4e millénaires

modern and ancient dog mt sequence (HVR1)

modern and ancient dog mt sequence (HVR1

Data from: Dogs accompanied humans during the Neolithic expansion into Europe

Near Eastern Neolithic farmers introduced several species of domestic plants and animals as they dispersed into Europe. Dogs were the only domestic species present in both Europe and the Near East prior to the Neolithic. Here, we assessed whether early Near Eastern dogs possessed a unique mitochondrial lineage that differentiated them from Mesolithic European populations. We then analysed mitochondrial DNA sequences from 99 ancient European and Near-Eastern dogs spanning the Upper Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age to assess if incoming farmers brought Near Eastern dogs with them, or instead primarily adopted indigenous European dogs after they arrived. Our results show that European pre-Neolithic dogs all possessed the mitochondrial haplogroup C, and that the Neolithic and Post-Neolithic dogs associated with farmers from Southeastern Europe mainly possessed haplogroup D. Thus, the appearance of haplogroup D most likely resulted from the dissemination of dogs from the Near East into Europe. In Western and Northern Europe, the turnover is incomplete and C haplogroup persists well into the Chalcolithic at least. These results suggest that dogs were an integral component of the Neolithic farming package and a mitochondrial lineage associated with the Near East was introduced into Europe alongside pigs, cows, sheep, and goats. It got diluted into the native dog population when reaching the Western and Northern margins of Europe

Allelic states of 21 ancient individuals with dog-morphotype and 2 ancient individuals with wolf-morphotype at the R301C, R306ter and K locus.

*<p>Hypothetical coat color can be deduced considering allelic state of R306ter and K locus. <i>In italic</i>: individuals with a wolf-morphotype (CH1075 and CH1244). ND: not determined, no positive amplification; ?: Hypothetical coat color could not be deduced;−/−: <i>CBD103</i>: ΔG23 mutation.</p>1<p>Date obtained directly on dog bones (cal BP);</p>2<p>Date derived from other remains (BP);</p>3<p>Chronological periods derived from cultural attributions.</p

Distribution of the R301C mutation (A1, A2) and of the K^B allele (B1, B2), before (A1, B1) and after (A2, B2) the neolithisation: presence of R301C mutation (blue), absence of R301C mutation (white), presence of K^B allele (black), no presence of K^B allele (orange), undetermined (question mark).

<p>Squares and dots refer respectively to individuals with wolf-and dog-morphotype.</p