Genetic diversity and population structure of the Taigan dog breed

The Taigan is an ancient sighthound breed native to the Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan and adapted to hunting at high altitudes and in rough terrain. Previous studies have provided insights into its phylogenetic relationships, but more data are needed to determine whether the Taigan is genetically distinct from  related sighthounds. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive genetic analysis using short tandem repeat (STR) markers and high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data to assess genetic diversity, population structure, and differentiation from other sighthound breeds. The analysis showed high polymorphism and an excess of heterozygosity (F = -0.013), indicating a balanced genetic structure. Bayesian clustering identified five genetic clusters among the Taigans, with no dominant lineage, suggesting a diverse gene pool. PCA and ADMIXTURE assigned the Taigan to the eastern sighthound group, closely clustered with the Kazakh Tazy. Fst analysis identified 9..., , # Data from: Genetic diversity and population structure of the Taigan dog breed

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.zpc866tks](10.5061/dryad.zpc866tks)

## Description of the data and file structure

The data was collected as part of an experimental effort to investigate the genetic diversity and structure of Taigan dogs. SNP whole-genome genotyping was performed using the CanineHD Genotyping BeadChip, and SNP analysis was conducted to compare Taigans with other sighthound breeds.

### Files and variables

#### File: taigan_only.bim

**Description:** This file contains variant (SNP) information in PLINK binary format.\
**Columns and Variables:**

1. **CHR (Chromosome)** – Chromosome number (1-38 for autosomes, X for sex chromosome, 0 for unknown).
2. **SNP_ID (SNP Identifier)** – Unique identifier for the SNP (e.g., rsID or marker name).
3. **Genetic_Distance (cM)** – Distance in centimorgans (often set to 0 if unknown).
4. **BP_Position (Base Pair Position)** – Genomic coordinate of the SNP i...,