Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Clarifies Taxonomic Status of the Northernmost Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola) Population

Abstract

Currently, the intraspecific taxonomy of snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) is controversial and needs to be specified using DNA molecular genetic markers. In our previous work using whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, we found that the population inhabiting Kharaulakh Ridge was genetically different from the other populations of Yakut subspecies to which it was usually referred. Here, our study was aimed at the clarification of taxonomic status of Kharaulakh snow sheep using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. A total of 87 specimens from five different geographic locations of Yakut snow sheep as well as 20 specimens of other recognized subspecies were included in this study. We identified 19 haplotypes, two of which belonged to the population from Kharaulakh Ridge. Median-joining network and Bayesian tree analyses revealed that Kharaulakh population clustered separately from all the other Yakut snow sheep. The divergence time between Kharaulakh population and Yakut snow sheep was estimated as 0.48 ± 0.19 MYA. Thus, the study of the mtDNA cytb sequences confirmed the results of genome-wide SNP analysis. Taking into account the high degree of divergence of Kharaulakh snow sheep from other groups, identified by both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers, we propose to classify the Kharaulakh population as a separate subspecies.

Meta-Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Control Region Diversity to Shed Light on Phylogenetic Relationship and Demographic History of African Sheep (Ovis aries) Breeds

“…mtDNA CR, also referred to as the displacement loop (D-loop) is the most popular DNA polymorphism used to study matrilineal lineages and population history. mtDNA CR is informative due to its low rate of recombination and maternal line inheritance [ 28 ], its rapid substitution rate compared to nuclear DNA [ 29 ], coupled with the ease and low costs of sequencing [ 30 ]. For instance, using mtDNA CR sequencing, the origin and history of several species have been studied [ 4 , 20 , 30 , 31 , 32 ] and the results have proved informative.…”

An Assessment of Applicability of SNP Chip Developed for Domestic Goats in Genetic Studies of Caucasian Tur (Capra caucasica)

“…Clarification of the phylogeny in the subfamily Caprinae made it possible to determine the status of three subspecies of tahr, which are now considered different genera-Hemitragus, Nilgiritragus, and Arabitragus [46]. New subspecies of blue sheep (Pseudois nayar) [47] and snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) [21,48] were identified.…”

Genome-Wide Insights into Intraspecific Taxonomy and Genetic Diversity of Argali (Ovis ammon)

“…In recent years, more and more refinements in the taxonomy of animals have been made by molecular genetic studies. Different mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers were used to clarify phylogenetic relationships in ungulate species [17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. Until now, molecular genetic studies of argali have been carried out using mitochondrial DNA [23,24] and microsatellites [25][26][27].…”

“…For example, the SNP chip developed for domestic sheep has been successfully used in the research of wild Ovis species: O. canadensis [28], O. dalli [29,30], O. aries musimon [31] and O. nivicola [20]. The analysis of mitochondrial DNA has been successfully implemented in phylogenetic studies for years [2,[17][18][19]21,32]. Unlike nuclear, mitochondrial DNA is characterized by maternal inheritance, high mutation rate and lack of recombination.…”