Cited by 2Forensic and Genetic ResearchGenetic diversity and population structureGenetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

Revisiting Aurochs Haplogroup C: Paleogenomic Perspectives from Northeastern China

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Zhu, Yan, Hou, Xindong, Zhao, Jian, Xiao, Bo, Song, Shiwen, Zou, Xinzhe, Liu, Sizhao, Hofreiter, Michael +1 more·2025·Genes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Aurochs (Bos primigenius), one of the earliest and largest herbivores domesticated by humans, were widely distributed in Eurasia and North Africa during the Pleistocene and Holocene. Studies of aurochs in China have focused mainly on the Northeastern region. Previous studies have suggested that haplogroup C is a haplogroup unique to China, but recent studies have shown that this is not the case. We have compiled all data on haplogroup C to revisit the classification of the aurochs haplogroup C. Methods: In this study, we obtained 13 nearly complete mitochondrial genomes from Late Pleistocene to early Holocene bovine samples from Northeastern China through fossil sample collection, ancient DNA extraction, library construction, and high-throughput sequencing. Based on the acquired ancient DNA data and in combination with previously published bovine data, the phylogenetic status, lineage divergence time, and population dynamics of aurochs in Northeastern China were analyzed. Results: Phylogenetic analyses and divergence time estimations suggest that the current definition of haplogroup C is overly inclusive, necessitating a refined reclassification of this haplogroup. We also estimated the population dynamics of aurochs in Northeastern China using Bayesian skyline plots found that the maternal effective population size of the aurochs increased significantly during Marine Isotope Stage 5 (MIS5), but began to decrease in the second half of MIS3 before they eventually became extinct. Conclusions: Our results provide new molecular evidence on the phylogenetic status, divergence time, and population dynamics of aurochs in Northeastern China.

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  • Ancient DNA from fossils in Northeast China has revealed a unique C haplogroup associated with East Asian aurochs.

    “In East Asia, ancient DNA from fossils in Northeast China has revealed a unique C haplogroup associated with East Asian aurochs [17,18,19].”

    From The Genomic Landscape of Cattle: Domestication, Dispersal, and Adaptive Evolution (2026) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Introduction reports that haplogroup C was described from a Late Pleistocene auroch specimen in Northeastern China, and the Discussion says the study’s specimens belong to it. But the Introduction also reports haplogroup C in Russia and Kazakhstan, so the source does not support ‘unique’ if it means exclusive to East Asian aurochs. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • During the Holocene, the North Asian wild populations declined and ultimately became extinct in Northeast China as a result of climate deterioration and intensified human activity.

    “During the Holocene, the North Asian wild populations declined and ultimately became extinct in Northeast China as a result of climate deterioration and intensified human activity [19].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. [2]Helmer D. Gourichon L. Monchot H. Peters J. Segui M.S. Identifying Early Domestic Cattle from Pre-Pottery Neolithic Sites on the Middle Euphrates Using Sexual Dimorphism Vigne J.-D. Peters J. Helmer D. Oxbow Books Oxford, UK 2005
  2. [4]Zhang N.F. Cai D.W. Review on the historical geographical distribution and ancient DNA research of Bos primigenius Res. China’s Front. Archaeol. 2021 297 327 (In Chinese)
  3. [5]Tong H.W. Chen X. Zhang B. Wang F.G. New fossils of Bos primigenius (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from Nihewan and Longhua of Hebei, China Vertebr. Palasiat. 2018 56 69 92 10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.170722 · DOI
  4. [12]Zhao X. Li Z.P. Dong X.L. Liu M. Tang J.Q. Zhang Y.J. Yuan J. Yang D.Y. Ancient DNA analysis of domesticated cattle from Xiaomintun site at Yinxu, Anyang, China Quat. Sci. 2020 40 321 330 10.11928/j.issn.1001-7410.2020.02.03 · DOI
  5. [25]Paijmans J.L.A. Baleka S. Henneberger K. Taron U.H. Trinks A. Westbury M.V. Barlow A. Sequencing single-stranded libraries on the Illumina NextSeq 500 platform arXiv 2017 1711.11004
  6. [43]Liu K. Song Y.H. Yang F.C. Dai H.M. Xu J. Han X.M. Liang S. Palynological assemblages of Holocene typical black soil profile from northern Songnen Plain and its restricts to environmental evolution Geol. Bull. China 2023 42 2122 2131 10.12097/j.issn.1671-2552.2023.12.008 · DOI

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Authors
Zhu, Y., Hou, X., Zhao, J., Xiao, B., Song, S., Zou, X., Liu, S., Hofreiter, M., & Lai, X.
Affiliations
  • China University of Geosciences (CN)
  • Department of Scientific Research, Dalian Natural History Museum, Dalian 116023, China
  • University of Potsdam (DE)
Corresponding author
Hou, Xindong
Venue
Genes
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2025-05-27
Volume
16
Issue
6
Pages
639
ISSN
2073-4425 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4410813677
Cited by
2
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 2
FWCI
1.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genes (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (41972001, 2016-2041)
  • China Scholarship Council and DAAD (41972001, 2016-2041)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
Keywords
aurochs, Bos primigenius, haplogroup C, mitochondrial genome, ancient DNA, Northeast China, phylogenetic classification, divergence time estimation, population dynamics, effective population size, Marine Isotope Stage 5, Marine Isotope Stage 3, extinction, Pleistocene
MeSH terms
DNA, Ancient, Animals, Cattle, China, DNA, Mitochondrial, Fossils, Haplotypes, Phylogeny, Genome, Mitochondrial

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