Genomic insights into population history of sheep

Being amongst the first domesticated animal species, the demographic history of sheep is not yet fully understood. Previous findings suggest a complex population history with widespread intercontinental admixture, and point to Southwest Asia as a potential domestication center. Here, we study the domestication history of sheep with pale genomes from Anatolia (n=15), Iran (n=2) and South Russia (n=1). We also incorporate present-day genomes from Anatolian (n=5) and Cypriot mouflon (n=10), which are suggested as close relatives or feralized remnants of domestic sheep. We further study these mouflon populations in a conservation genomics perspective, as they are currently listed as endangered and have comprised small population sizes with multiple bottlenecks in the last decades.