Cited by 33Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestockGenetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and AnimalsGenetic diversity and population structure

Signatures of Selection in Nelore Cattle Revealed by Whole-Genome Sequencing Data

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Maiorano, Amanda Marchi, Cardoso, Diercles Francisco, Carvalheiro, Roberto, Júnior, Gerardo Alves Fernandes, de Albuquerque, Lúcia Galvão, de Oliveira, Henrique Nunes·2022·Genomics

Abstract

Nelore cattle breed was farmed worldwide due to its economic importance in the beef market and adaptation to the tropics. In Brazil, purebred Nelore animals (PO) receive a certificate from the breeders' association based on the animal's genealogy and morphological characterization. The top 20 to 30% of the superior animals are eligible to receive the Special Certificate of Identification and Production (CEIP), meaning animals from this category were selected and evaluated in a breeding program to improve economically important traits. We used whole-genome sequencing and approaches based on haplotype differentiation and allelic differentiation to detect regions of selection signatures in Nelore cattle by comparing animals from PO and CEIP categories. From a total of 150 animals, a hierarchical clustering analysis was performed to choose the more unrelated animals from each category (16 PO and 40 CEIP). The hapFLK statistic was performed, and extensions of hapFLK values were investigated considering continuous regions with significant q-values. The Weir and Cockerham's Fst estimator (wcFst) was computed using the GPAT++ software library. The total of 82,326 SNPs with hapFLK values passed the FDR control (q-value<0.05), and 718 segments were target as signatures of selection. A total of 1713 highly differentiated genomic regions were identified based on the segmentFst approach. The signatures of selection were spread across the genome. Annotation of overlapping selection signature regions between the two methods revealed 118 genes in common. A variant located within the 3' region of the BOLA-DRB3 gene was found as a promising candidate polymorphism. Within genomic regions that deserves attention, we found genes previously associated with adaptation to tropical environments (HELB), growth and navel size (HMGA2), fat deposition and domestication (IRAK3), and feed efficiency and postmortem carcass traits (GABRG3). The genes BOLA-DQA2, BOLA-DQB, BOLA-DQA5, BOLA-DQA1, BOLA-DRB3, ENSBTAG00000038397 on chromosome 23 are part of the Bovine Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class II gene family, representing good candidates for immune response and adaptation to tropical conditions. The BoLA family genes and the interaction of ROBO1 with SLIT genes appeared in the enrichment results. Genomic regions located in intronic regions were also identified and might play a regulatory role in traits under selection in PO and CEIP subpopulations. The regions here identified contribute to our knowledge regarding genes and variants that have an important role in complex traits selected in this breed.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110304

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  • Genes involved in heat tolerance have been identified in Indian and African indicine cattle populations, such as heat shock protein genes (HSPA1B, HSPA12A, DNAJC18 and DNAJC8), GRXCR1, FKBP4, HSPA1L, IL6, and HELB.

    “Genes involved in heat tolerance have been identified in Indian and African indicine cattle populations, such as heat shock protein genes (HSPA1B, HSPA12A, DNAJC18 and DNAJC8), GRXCR1, FKBP4, HSPA1L, IL6, and HELB [81,100,112,113].”

    From The Genomic Landscape of Cattle: Domestication, Dispersal, and Adaptive Evolution (2026) · cites this paper as [113]

    Section 3.5 identifies HELB in a selection region in Nelore cattle and reports a proposed role for it in adaptation to high temperatures in Asian indicine tropical cattle. The passages do not substantiate the other listed genes or findings in African indicine populations. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  1. A.N. Rosa, R.B. Lôbo, I.F. Leite, F.P. Lima, C.U. Magnabosco, F.A.M. Duarte, Proposta de mudanças no regulamento do registro genealógico das raças zebuínas vol. 17, EMBRAPA-CNPGC, Campo Grande, 1997 (EMBRAPA-CNPGC. Documentos, 67).

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Authors
Maiorano, A. M., Cardoso, D. F., Carvalheiro, R., Júnior, G. A. F., de Albuquerque, L. G., & de Oliveira, H. N.
Affiliations
  • Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (BR)
  • University of Guelph (CA)
  • Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR)
Corresponding author
Maiorano, Amanda Marchi
Venue
Genomics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-03
Volume
114
Issue
2
Pages
110304
ISSN
0888-7543 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4213365622
Cited by
33
References
86
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 2
FWCI
4.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genomics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (2009/16118-5, 2017/10630-2, 2019/15397-0)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
Keywords
Nelore cattle, selection signatures, hapFLK, haplotype differentiation, BoLA-DRB3, tropical adaptation, beef cattle breeding, ROBO1, HMGA2, GABRG3, IRAK3
MeSH terms
Whole Genome Sequencing, Alleles, Animals, Cattle, Haplotypes, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Receptors, Immunologic, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

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