Genetic Characterization of a Sheep Population in Oaxaca, Mexico: The Chocholteca Creole

Abstract

Creole sheep in México have undergone crossbreeding, provoking the loss of genetic variability. The objective of the present study is to determine the intra-racial genetic diversity, the genetic relationship with other genotypes, and the populational substructure of the Oaxacan Creole sheep. Twenty-nine blood samples were obtained of Creole sheep of the Oaxaca Mixteca region in México. A genetic analysis was made with 41 microsatellites recommended for studies of genetic diversity in sheep. An analysis was made of genetic diversity, populational structure, and genetic distance with 27 other sheep populations. The study found 205 alleles with a range of 2 to 9 by locus and an effective number of 3.33. The intra-racial analysis showed a moderate genetic diversity with values of expected heterozygosity of 0.686 and observed of 0.756, a mean polymorphic information content of 0.609, and a mean coefficient of consanguinity of −0.002. In interracial genetic diversity for the coefficients of consanguinity, the values were FIS = 0.0774, FIT = 0.16993, and FST = 0.10028, showing an elevated genetic distance with other creole breeds, but close to Argentine Creole, to another Creole of México and the Spanish Merino. Its genetic structure showed that it does not have any populational subdivision nor mixes with the others analyzed. It is concluded that it is a distinct and isolated population and is proposed as the creole breed “Chocholteca” for its conservation.

Genetic Diversity of Montenegrin Local Sheep Breeds Based on Microsatellite Markers

“…All analyzed markers had PIC values greater than 0.5 or on average 0.781, which indicates a high diversity of the studied sheep population and the reliability of the used set of markers for the study of genetic diversity. The PIC value obtained in our study is higher than that reported by Girish et al [ 11 ] and Salinas-Rios et al [ 19 ] but lower than that reported for 12 Algerian sheep breeds [ 18 ].…”

“…These results are in accordance with results obtained for the group of autochthonous breeds from the Balkan Peninsula [ 12 ], Kazakh sheep breeds [ 17 ], some Croatian local breeds that belong to the group of coarse-wool Pramenka breeds [ 45 ], as well as Jordan and Arabian sheep breeds [ 43 , 46 ]. A higher diversity of the sheep population in terms of the average Ho and PIC was reported for 12 Algerian sheep breeds [ 18 ] and 14 Iran sheep breeds [ 47 ], and a lower diversity of the sheep population was obtained by many researchers [ 15 , 19 , 41 ].…”

“…The genetic structure analyses provide the information needed for distinguishing breeds or populations if there is mixing in order to assign individuals or homogenous populations [ 19 ]. The results of structure analyses showed that the seven breeds clustered into two gene pools.…”

“…Microsatellite markers are highly polymorphic microsatellite markers, which are short sequence repeats of 1–6 base pairs. These types of markers, also known as Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), are the most widely used markers for the characterization of sheep populations to determine their purity or degree of crossbreeding with other breeds, as well as the genetic diversity within and among the population [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

New Insight into the Genome-Wide Diversity and Admixture of Six Colombian Sheep Populations

“…In the American continent, Creole sheep represent a strategic genetic resource for populations living in marginal areas with scarce economic resources [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. They also represent an essential role in the family economy since they provide high-quality meat, wool and, leather to local populations [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The term creole (criollo in Spanish or crioula in Portuguese) refers to the Iberian descendants in the Americas, including cattle and sheep [ 2 ].…”