Genetic differentiation and gene flow among six sheep breeds of Mongolian group in China

The level of genetic differentiation, gene flow and the relationship between geographical distance and genetic differentiation among six sheep populations of Mongolian group in China (Tong sheep, small-tailed Han sheep, Hu sheep, Tan sheep, Ujumuqin sheep and Bayinbuluk sheep) were analyzed using seven microsatellites. The trees were constructed from diversity coefficient (DC) distances among the six sheep populations. The overall heterozygote deficit across all the populations ( F it ) was between 0.167 (OarAE101) and 0.044 (MAF33). The over-all significant deficit of heterozygote, because of inbreeding within breeds, ( F is ) was between 0.089 (OarFCB304) and 0.005 (MAF33). The coefficient of genetic differentiation ( F st ) was between 0.100 (OarAE101) and 0.022 (OarFCB48). It indicated that 3.9% of the total genetic variation could be explained by breed differences and the remaining 96.1% by differences among individuals for each population. This illustrated that most variations existed within breeds and genetic differentiation level were very low among sheep breeds of the Mongolian Group in China. The average number of effective migrants exchanged per generation ( Nem ) ranged from 2.7369 (Tan sheep and Bayinbuluk sheep) to 44.3928 (Tong sheep and Hu sheep), and the mean value was 11.25213. Significantly positive relationships between the level of genetic differentiation and geographical distance and genetic distances were detected. It is concluded that genetic differentiation of sheep breeds of Mongolian group in China is mainly the result of natural selection (different living conditions).