Cuantificación de la Varibilidad Genética en los Caballos - TvAgro por Juan Gonzalo Angel

Twitter @juangangel The analysis of genetic markers (GMs) such as blood types and biochemical polymorphisms has allowed for the characterization of the structure and intra- and inter-population genetic variability of different equine breeds (De Andrés Cara, 1982; Rodríguez-Gallardo et al., 1992; Bowling, 1994; Gagliardi et al., 2000). The conservation of genetic variability in animals of interest to livestock is of great importance because it is a prerequisite for the progress of selection and, therefore, evolution, as well as a way to prevent their extinction. Recently, the FAO established a program for the conservation of native and naturalized breeds of farm animals, with the primary purpose of characterizing them through GM, describing and identifying them, and then controlling and maintaining their genetic diversity (http://dad.fao.org/en/home.htm). Therefore, it is important to understand the genetic structure and variability of our breeds, especially that of the Criollo horse, as it is the biotype of the American workhorse, adapted and bred in vast livestock areas under very harsh conditions. These zootechnical qualities are due to the incorporation into its genome of the hardiness produced by a 400-year process of natural selection, combined with 100 years of directed breeding (Dowdall, 1985). We therefore consider it a reservoir of a gene pool resulting from years of adaptation to our environmental conditions, which is of interest to preserve as the country's genetic heritage. Previous studies on this breed have described the presence of marker alleles characteristic of the Pure Spanish Breed (PRE) (TfJ), the Barbary (BE) (Ddekl, adln), and both (EsH and Dcfgk), which are indicators of the conservation of the polymorphisms of their ancestral breeds (Kelly et al., 1998; Kelly, 1999). Phylogenetic studies conducted with historically related breeds have allowed them to be grouped with American breeds (Peruvian Paso: PP, Paso Fino: PF, Quarter Horse: CM) and with BE, although they are found to be more genetically distant from the PRE (Kelly et al., 2000). Other authors have studied Criollo horses from Argentina and Chile with biochemical polymorphisms, finding a greater correlation with BE and the presence of the PRE-specific TfJ in the former (Peral, 1994; Oltra et al., 1993). The objective of this study is to study the genetic variability of the Uruguayan Criollo Horse (UCH) and the subpopulations (herds) that comprise the sample, and to differentiate between them. These data will allow us to analyze the influence of the breeding method of this breed on genetic variability. See more information at http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?scrip... Juan Gonzalo Angel www.tvagro.tv