Molecular Mechanisms of Biodiversity, Adaptation and Evolution in Livestock

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1577

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Interests: animal domestication; livestock genomics; population genomics; admixture; selection; metagenomics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Shaped by millennia of natural and human-driven evolution, livestock biodiversity constitutes a vital resource for global food security and sustainable agriculture. This Special Issue, “Molecular Mechanisms of Biodiversity, Adaptation and Evolution in Livestock,” calls for a collection of research that advances our understanding of the genomic and molecular processes fundamental to this diversity.

We invite the submission of original research articles, reviews, and methodological papers that utilize genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and related approaches. The synthesis of knowledge in this Special Issue is intended to deepen perspectives in evolutionary biology while establishing a foundation for strategic breed conservation, sustainable genetic enhancement, and the breeding of climate-resilient livestock poised to meet future challenges.

Key themes:

  • genomic signatures of domestication and selection;
  • genetic bases of adaptation and resilience;
  • decoding complex production and health traits;
  • immunogenetic diversity and disease resistance;
  • integrative omics in livestock evolution;
  • conservation and evolutionary genomics;
  • phylogenomics and evolutionary history;

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Shanyuan Chen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • livestock genomics
  • adaptation genetics
  • animal domestication
  • evolution
  • conservation genetics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

31 pages, 4427 KB  
Review
The Genomic Landscape of Cattle: Domestication, Dispersal, and Adaptive Evolution
by Yiduan Liu, Wenbin Dao, Ruixia Gao, Xinyang Fan, Ruifei Yang and Yongwang Miao
Animals 2026, 16(5), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16050776 - 2 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1305
Abstract
Domestic cattle represent one of the most significant evolutionary successes in the history of human–animal mutualism. This review synthesizes evidence from paleogenomics and modern population genetics, particularly recent pangenome analyses, to reconstruct a comprehensive evolutionary trajectory of cattle. We outline the two domestication [...] Read more.
Domestic cattle represent one of the most significant evolutionary successes in the history of human–animal mutualism. This review synthesizes evidence from paleogenomics and modern population genetics, particularly recent pangenome analyses, to reconstruct a comprehensive evolutionary trajectory of cattle. We outline the two domestication events: the emergence of taurine cattle (Bos taurus) in the Fertile Crescent (~10,500 years ago) and zebu cattle (Bos indicus) in the Indus Valley (~8000 years ago). Following domestication, cattle dispersed globally alongside human migration, resulting in a complex genetic mosaic shaped by introgression with wild relatives and extensive admixture between lineages. By integrating data from mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome haplotypes, and whole-genome sequencing of modern, ancient, and wild samples, we reconstruct the detailed global dispersal of cattle. Furthermore, we dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic diversity, emphasizing how natural selection has driven environmental adaptation, how artificial selection has optimized production traits, and how the emerging bovine pangenome is unveiling “hidden” genetic variations critical for climate resilience and disease resistance. Ultimately, this review summarizes the origin, dispersal, and genomic diversity of cattle, offering vital insights for the conservation of indigenous genetic resources and the advancement of molecular breeding strategies in the face of a changing global climate. Full article
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