Revealing the history of sheep domestication using retrovirus integrations.
Science
; 324(5926): 532-6, 2009 Apr 24.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19390051
ABSTRACT
The domestication of livestock represented a crucial step in human history. By using endogenous retroviruses as genetic markers, we found that sheep differentiated on the basis of their "retrotype" and morphological traits dispersed across Eurasia and Africa via separate migratory episodes. Relicts of the first migrations include the Mouflon, as well as breeds previously recognized as "primitive" on the basis of their morphology, such as the Orkney, Soay, and the Nordic short-tailed sheep now confined to the periphery of northwest Europe. A later migratory episode, involving sheep with improved production traits, shaped the great majority of present-day breeds. The ability to differentiate genetically primitive sheep from more modern breeds provides valuable insights into the history of sheep domestication.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ovinos
/
Retrovirus Endógenos
/
Carneiro Doméstico
/
Criação de Animais Domésticos
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Ano de publicação:
2009
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido