Characterisation of Hungarian Cikta sheep based on the control region of mtDNA

Publication Name: Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja

Publication Date: 2020-07-01

Volume: 142

Issue: 7

Page Range: 421-428

Description:

Background: The consideration of the high genetic diversity is indispensable on the course of preservation of endangered animal breeds. Objectives: The authors evaluate the genetic background in the Hungarian native Cikta breed by use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (CR) sequence firstly. Their investigation was carried out in order to serve data for the maintenance of maternal lineages. Materials and Methods: The DNA samples were taken from the descendants of the eldest families by use of founder sampling method based on pedigree (n = 69) in 2015. The primers described by Hiendleder et al. (7) were used to amplify the region of interest (AF010406). Results and Discussion: The control region of mtDNA showed polymorphisms at 32 sites. However, the herds shared 24 polymorphic sites, so the maternal background of the Cikta appears to be genetically uniform. The total number of haplotypes were 13, furthermore, most of the samples belonged to the haplog-roup B of sheep. This fact proves the decisively European maternal origin of the Hungarian Cikta. The average number of pairwise differences (k) and the average nucleotide diversity (ro) were 6.863 and 5.95 × 10-3, respectively. The values of the Cikta population were not significant (p < 0.10) neither by the Tajima D-test (0.107) and by Fu's Fs statistics (2.533), meaning that the greatly reduced population size of the breed known from the breed history did not cause genetic drift, it is in genetic equilibrium regarding its ancient families. The genetic information confirmed the origin of the families/flocks known from the breed history. A more intense focusing on the maternal side is motivated also by the fact that the females are present at greater number than the males, respectively they remain in breeding for a longer period of time, so they can at larger extent be the depositaries of realization and maintenance of genetic diversity.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: DOI not available

Authors - 8