Search Results (4)

Lipizzan is a famous horse breed dating back to 1580 when the original stud of Lipica was established by the Hasburg Archduke Charles II. Currently, the Italian State Stud of Lipizzan Horses (ASCAL) is a conservation nucleus managed through strict mating rules where mitochondrial DNA sequences are used to verify the correct assignment of mares to a historical pedigree maternal lineage. Here, we analyzed the D-loop sequences of Lipizzan horses from the ASCAL in Monterotondo (Rome, Italy) in order to confirm their pedigree assignment to known female founder families. The concurrent investigation of the paternal counterpart based on variation in the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) showed a prevalence of HT02 (80%), typical of the Neapolitan/Oriental wave. The mtDNA polymorphisms identified shaped nine haplotypes that were unequivocally assigned to each of nine classical mare families of the stud (Africa, Almerina, Argentina, Deflorata, Djebrin, Fistula, Ivanka, Sardinia, Spadiglia), while the Europa and Theodorosta families shared a tenth haplotype. New polymorphisms were identified in a not previously studied region (np 16100–16350). The mtDNA phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Lipizzans of the Monterotondo stud belong to six haplogroups (B, C, G, L, M, Q), out of the 18 recorded for the equine species. This work enabled us to identify and preserve ten haplotypes from the historical maternal lines in a small stud kept in genetic segregation for over 100 years. Full article

Horse domestication and breed selection processes have profoundly influenced the development and transformation of human society and civilization over time. Therefore, their origin and history have always attracted much attention. In Italy, several local breeds have won prestigious awards thanks to their unique traits and socio-cultural peculiarities. Here, for the first time, we report the genetic variation of three loci of the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) of four local breeds and another one (Lipizzan, UNESCO) well-represented in the Italian Peninsula. The analysis also includes data from three Sardinian breeds and another forty-eight Eurasian and Mediterranean horse breeds retrieved from GenBank for comparison. Three haplotypes (HT1, HT2, and HT3) were found in Italian stallions, with different spatial distributions between breeds. HT1 (the ancestral haplotype) was frequent, especially in Bardigiano and Monterufolino, HT2 (Neapolitan/Oriental wave) was found in almost all local breeds, and HT3 (Thoroughbred wave) was detected in Maremmano and two Sardinian breeds (Sardinian Anglo-Arab and Sarcidano). This differential distribution is due to three paternal introgressions of imported stallions from foreign countries to improve local herds; however, further genetic analyses are essential to reconstruct the genetic history of native horse breeds, evaluate the impact of selection events, and enable conservation strategies. Full article

In horses, demographic patterns are complex due to historical migrations and eventful breeding histories. Particularly puzzling is the ancestry of the North African horse, a founding horse breed, shaped by numerous influences throughout history. A genetic marker particularly suitable to investigate the paternal demographic history of populations is the non-recombining male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY). Using a recently established horse MSY haplotype (HT) topology and KASP™ genotyping, we illustrate MSY HT spectra of 119 Barb and Arab-Barb males, collected from the Maghreb region and European subpopulations. All detected HTs belonged to the Crown haplogroup, and the broad MSY spectrum reflects the wide variety of influential stallions throughout the breed’s history. Distinct HTs and regional disparities were characterized and a remarkable number of early introduced lineages were observed. The data indicate recent refinement with Thoroughbred and Arabian patrilines, while 57% of the dataset supports historical migrations between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. In the Barb horse, we detected the HT linked to Godolphin Arabian, one of the Thoroughbred founders. Hence, we shed new light on the question of the ancestry of one Thoroughbred patriline. We show the strength of the horse Y chromosome as a genealogical tool, enlighten recent paternal history of North African horses, and set the foundation for future studies on the breed and the formation of conservation breeding programs. Full article

The Estonian Native Horse (ENH) is a medium-size pony found mainly in the western islands of Estonia and is well-adapted to the harsh northern climate and poor pastures. The ancestry of the ENH is debated, including alleged claims about direct descendance from the extinct Tarpan. Here we conducted a detailed analysis of the genetic makeup and relationships of the ENH based on the genotypes of 15 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs), 18 Y chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), mitochondrial D-loop sequence and lateral gait allele in DMRT3. The study encompassed 2890 horses of 61 breeds, including 33 ENHs. We show that the expected and observed genetic diversities of the ENH are among the highest within 52 global breeds, and the highest among 8 related Northern European ponies. The genetically closest breeds to the ENH are the Finn Horse, and the geographically more distant primitive Hucul and Konik. ENH matrilines are diverse and relate to draught and Pontic-Caspian breeds. ENH patrilines relate to draught breeds, and to a unique haplogroup not described before. None of the 33 ENHs carried the “gait” mutation, but the mutation was found in 2 Huculs. The study demonstrates that the ENH is a genetically distinct and diverse breed of ancient origin with no notable pressure of selective breeding. Full article