Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia

The number of domestic Bactrian camels has been decreasing rapidly in recent years in Central Asia, whereas very little is known about their genetic diversity and relationship. Most of these animals are found today in China and Mongolia. Here, we used 12 microsatellite DNA markers to characterise 14...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Han Jianlin, Ochieng, J.W., Lkhagva, B., Hanotte, Olivier H.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/35311
_version_ 1855537268684488704
author Han Jianlin
Ochieng, J.W.
Lkhagva, B.
Hanotte, Olivier H.
author_browse Han Jianlin
Hanotte, Olivier H.
Lkhagva, B.
Ochieng, J.W.
author_facet Han Jianlin
Ochieng, J.W.
Lkhagva, B.
Hanotte, Olivier H.
author_sort Han Jianlin
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The number of domestic Bactrian camels has been decreasing rapidly in recent years in Central Asia, whereas very little is known about their genetic diversity and relationship. Most of these animals are found today in China and Mongolia. Here, we used 12 microsatellite DNA markers to characterise 140 domestic Bactrian camels from 4 populations of China (n = 84) and 2 populations of Mongolia (n = 56). Genetic diversity, expressed as mean number of alleles and expected heterozygosity (He), were similar in all populations. Genetic distances (DS and DA) indicate closer genetic relationships between populations within each country than between the Chinese and Mongolian populations. Significant differentiation indices (Fst) were obtained for all between-country comparisons (P < 0.01). However, within countries the Fst value between the two Mongolian populations and between four of the six pair-wise comparisons between Chinese populations were not significant (P > 0.05). The lack of genetic differentiation among the Chinese populations is possibly a historical legacy of trading along the Silk Road which favoured gene flow between populations. For Mongolia, it is possibly the result of interbreeding between populations following transhumance. Our results indicate that the domestic Bactrian camels from China and Mongolia should be considered as distinct populations in conservation and breeding programs.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace35311
institution CGIAR Consortium
publishDate 2004
publishDateRange 2004
publishDateSort 2004
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace353112023-02-15T10:10:17Z Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia Han Jianlin Ochieng, J.W. Lkhagva, B. Hanotte, Olivier H. genetics camels The number of domestic Bactrian camels has been decreasing rapidly in recent years in Central Asia, whereas very little is known about their genetic diversity and relationship. Most of these animals are found today in China and Mongolia. Here, we used 12 microsatellite DNA markers to characterise 140 domestic Bactrian camels from 4 populations of China (n = 84) and 2 populations of Mongolia (n = 56). Genetic diversity, expressed as mean number of alleles and expected heterozygosity (He), were similar in all populations. Genetic distances (DS and DA) indicate closer genetic relationships between populations within each country than between the Chinese and Mongolian populations. Significant differentiation indices (Fst) were obtained for all between-country comparisons (P < 0.01). However, within countries the Fst value between the two Mongolian populations and between four of the six pair-wise comparisons between Chinese populations were not significant (P > 0.05). The lack of genetic differentiation among the Chinese populations is possibly a historical legacy of trading along the Silk Road which favoured gene flow between populations. For Mongolia, it is possibly the result of interbreeding between populations following transhumance. Our results indicate that the domestic Bactrian camels from China and Mongolia should be considered as distinct populations in conservation and breeding programs. 2004 2014-04-14T10:55:55Z 2014-04-14T10:55:55Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/35311 Limited Access Han Jianlin., Ochieng, J.W., Lkhagva, B. and Hanotte, O. 2004. Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia. Journal of Camel Practice and Research 11(2): 97-99.
spellingShingle genetics
camels
Han Jianlin
Ochieng, J.W.
Lkhagva, B.
Hanotte, Olivier H.
Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia
title Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia
title_full Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia
title_fullStr Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia
title_full_unstemmed Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia
title_short Genetic diversity and relationship of domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) in China and Mongolia
title_sort genetic diversity and relationship of domestic bactrian camels camelus bactrianus in china and mongolia
topic genetics
camels
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/35311
work_keys_str_mv AT hanjianlin geneticdiversityandrelationshipofdomesticbactriancamelscamelusbactrianusinchinaandmongolia
AT ochiengjw geneticdiversityandrelationshipofdomesticbactriancamelscamelusbactrianusinchinaandmongolia
AT lkhagvab geneticdiversityandrelationshipofdomesticbactriancamelscamelusbactrianusinchinaandmongolia
AT hanotteolivierh geneticdiversityandrelationshipofdomesticbactriancamelscamelusbactrianusinchinaandmongolia