Genome-wide analysis of runs of homozygosity in Italian Mediterranean buffalo

Runs of homozygosity (ROHs) are a powerful method not only for inbreeding analysis in animal populations but also for detecting signatures of selection through ROH islands. The present study explored the patterns of ROH and calculated inbreeding coefficients in the Italian Mediterranean buffalo population. We identified regions in the genome that were associated with production traits. In addition, several ROH islands were found to be overlapped with major genes in cattle mainly involved in milk production traits. These findings would help to better understand the unique characteristics of Mediterranean buffaloes and provide insight for future breeding strategies for the targeted genetic improvement.纯合子片段（Runs of homozygosity, ROH）是一种强有力的研究手段，不仅可用于动物种群的近交分析，还可通过ROH岛（ROH islands）检测选择信号。本研究针对意大利地中海水牛种群，分析了ROH的分布模式并计算了近交系数，同时鉴定出了基因组中与生产性状相关的区域。此外，多个ROH岛与牛中主要参与泌乳性状的主效基因存在重叠。本研究结果有助于更深入地理解地中海水牛的独特特性，并为未来开展定向遗传改良的育种策略提供参考。