Genome-wide insights of Ethiopian indigenous sheep populations reveal population structure related to tail morphology and phylogeography. Genome_wide study

Ovine 50K SNP BeadChip genotype data were used for the study to investigate genome-wide genetic diversity and population structure of 8 Ethiopian sheep populations. The study populations were Washerta, Farta, Wollo, Horro, Adilo, Arsi-Bale, Black Head Somali and Menz. A total of 115 blood samples were collected from Washerta, Farta, Wollo and Horro sheep. Genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted. The extracted gDNA samples were genotyped. Genotype data for the remaining 4 Ethiopian sheep populations (Adilo, Arsi-Bale, Black Head Somali, and Menz) were obtained from NRSP-8 Community File Sharing Platform. Sheep populations from East, North, and South Africa, Middle East and Asia were included in the study. Mean genetic diversity of study sheep populations ranged from 0.352 ± 0.14 for Horro to 0.379 ± 0.14 for Arsi-Bale sheep while estimates of genetic differentiation among populations ranged from 0.004 (Farta and Wollo) to 0.075 (Menz and Adilo). Principal component and population structure analyses clustered the 8 Ethiopian sheep populations in to 4 genetic cluster groups based on their tail phenotype and geographic distribution. The short fat-tail sheep did not represent one genetic cluster group. Ethiopian fat-rump sheep shared a common genetic background with the Kenyan fat-tail sheep. The genetic diversity and population structure analyses revealed clear signature of admixture and low genetic differentiation among the study sheep populations. Principal component and population structure follows a clear pattern of tail morphology and phylogeography