Simple SummaryThe development of new production lines of turkeys has relegated native breeds to a second position. This has increased the need for new research to ensure the conservation of local turkey breeds and the maintenance of biodiversity. The objective of the present study was to identify turkey populations, their origins, and maternal lines through mitochondrial DNA analysis. For this study, mitochondrial DNA samples from 93 turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) were used. The animals belonged to populations in Brazil, Mexico, Spain (Andalusia and Majorca) Italy, Iran, Egypt, and the United States. The haplogroup network that formed suggested that turkey domestic populations group into a single haplotype. However, genetic differences within the haplogroup were found. The present study may provide a better approach for the implementation of conservation strategies for domestic turkey populations.AbstractAccording to recent archeological evidence, turkey (Meleagris gallopavo gallopavo) domestication may have occurred in Mexico around 2000 years ago. However, little is known about the phylogenetic and genealogical background underlying domestic turkey populations. This study aimed to further understand the domestication process and identify inter- or intraspecific connections between turkey populations to determine their origins, trace their global expansion, and define the species’ genetic value. Ninety-three domestic turkeys (local breeds) were sampled from populations in Brazil, Mexico, USA, Spain, Italy, Iran, and Egypt. Publicly available sequences from previous studies were also included. Standard mitochondrial DNA, genetic diversity, and haplotype network analyses were performed. Seventy-six polymorphic sites were identified. Turkeys from Mexico showed the greatest number of polymorphic sites (40), while turkeys from Italy and Brazil reported only one site each. Nucleotide diversity was also highest in Mexico and the USA (π = 0.0175 and 0.0102, respectively) and lowest in Brazil and Italy. Of the six major haplogroups defined, the Mexican and USA populations appeared to have remained more stable and diverse than the other populations. This may be due to conservative husbandry policies in the rural areas of other populations, which have prevented the introduction of commercial turkey lines.

2020) Design and development of a multiplex microsatellite panel for the genetic characterisation and diversity assessment of domestic turkey (Meleagrisgallopavogallopavo),

Domestic pig breeds reached America on the second Columbus trip; from this date, Iberian pig genetic resources were disseminated throughout the continent, forming diverse creole breeds. These Ecuadorian Creole pigs are important for food production but have been genetically eroded since the introduction of transboundary breeds. In this study, we sought to characterize this erosion more thoroughly through mitochondrial DNA D-Loop analysis of Ecuadorian Pillareño Creole pigs from seven regions of Ecuador. To allow comparison, we also included in our analysis sequences from wild species, commercial lines, and domestic pigs, which were obtained from the NCBI GenBank database. Creole pigs’ population showed overall moderate Hd values and low π values, and a negative value of Tajima’s D was observed. The greatest differentiation from the Ecuadorian Pillareño Creole pigs was observed between Asian wild and Asian domestic pigs. The haplotype analysis revealed three different phylogenetic clades (A, E I, and E II) and 65 haplotypes. Ecuadorian Creole populations were grouped into nine haplotypes for Clade E I and E II, which have not previously been reported for Creole Pillareño populations. Our analysis indicates that in the establishment of Creole Pillareño pigs, individuals most likely separated from the Asian pig population and appear to be genetically influenced by European and Iberian populations raised in Spain.

Ca Rater Mallorquí is a dog breed from the Island of Mallorca (Spain) traditionally used as a hunting and ratting dog to prevent disease spread and economic losses related to rodent activities on farms. However, the census data shows a population decline that should be addressed by implementing a conservation program. The first step to implementing a conservation plan is knowing the genetic situation of the Ca Rater Mallorquí population. Therefore, we aimed to genetically characterise the breed in our study. We analysed 33 microsatellites recommended by the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG) in 77 samples. Data were obtained from 13 samples of Balearic, Spanish, and international dog breeds to study the genetic diversity among breeds. The population did not significantly deviate from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium with heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.655 and expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.685. The Wright’s fixation indices, the Factorial Correspondence Analysis (FCA), a dendrogram representing Reynolds genetic distance between populations, and the pairwise FST values establish the Ca Rater Mallorquí as an independent breed distinct from the Balearic, Spanish, and international breeds.

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