Genetic Diversity of Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Population in South Eastern Nigeria Using Microsatellite Markers

A. I. Adeolu, M. Wheto, V. U. Oleforuh-Okoleh, R. N. Nwose, A. S. Adenaike, A. Yakubu, E. M. Abiola, B. G. Mohammed

Abstract

A study was conducted to estimate the diversity that exists among three rabbit populations adapted to the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Blood samples were collected from 75 matured, mixed-sex, and unrelated three rabbit breeds selected across the zone. Eight microsatellites (Sol30, Sol33, and Sol44, Sat3, Sat7, Sat8, Sat12, and INRA) markers were used for the study. These microsatellites were uniformly distributed among rabbit genomes for genotyping. Subsequently, genetic variability within and between breeds was calculated. Allelic frequencies and Hardy-Weinberg equilibriums as well as Analysis of Molecular Variance, were also estimated using GenAlEX 6.41 software. Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) for the population structure of the rabbit breeds was performed in R v.3.5.0 using the R package adegenet. All the 8 loci amplified in this study were found to be 100% polymorphic, the observed allele sizes and their frequencies for the microsatellite markers in every three breeds showed that the highest frequency was 0.330 for the allele with the size of 470bp at Sol33 locus in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. The Nei’s genetic identities and distances between Chinchilla (CHI) and Dutch (DUT), CHI and NZW, DUT and NZW obtained in this study were [0.173, 0.185, and 0.189] and [1.753, 1.689, and 1.666] respectively. The dendrogram and biplot revealed that the three breeds were identified at two separate clusters. In addition, the admixture level of an individual rabbit among the three breeds indicated that the breeds were not pure and also the existence of more polymorphism within the breed than among the breed diversity.

References

Abdel-Kafy E.M., S. S. Ahmed, A. El-keredy, N. I. Ali, S. Ramadan, & A. Farid. 2018. Genetic and phenotypic characterization of the native rabbits in Middle Egypt. Vet. World. 11:1120-1126. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2018.1120-1126
Adeolu, A. I., F. C. Anosike, R. N. Nwose, N. I. Adeolu, E. Awah, & E. M. Abiola. 2020. Alleviating micronutrient malnutrition within 1000 days’ window period using rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) meat. Pak. J. Nutr. 19:239-244. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2020.239.244
Ben Larbi, M., M. San-Cristobal, C. Chantry-Darmon, & G. Bolet. 2014. Population structure in Tunisian indigenous rabbit ascertained using molecular information. World Rabbit Sci. 22:223-230. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2014.1468
Carneiro, M., S. Afonso, A. Geraldes, H. Garreau, G. Bolet, S. Boucher, A. Tircazes, G. Queney, W. Nachman, & N. Ferrand. 2011. The genetic structure of domestic rabbits. Mol. Biol. Evol. 28:1801-1816. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msr003
Chantry-Darmon, C., C. Urien, H. De Rochambeau, D. Allain, B. Pena, H. Hayes, C. Grohs, E. P. Cribiu, S. Deretz-Picoulet, C. Larzul, J. C. Save, A. Neau, P. Chardon, & C. Rogel- Gaillard. 2006. A first-generation microsatellite-based integrated genetic and cytogenetic map for the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and localization of angora and albino. Anim. Genet. 37:335-341. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01462.x
El-Aksher, S. H., H. S. Sherif, M. H. Khalil, H. A. S. El-Garhy, & S. Ramadan. 2016. Comparative Genetic Analysis among Moshtohor Line Rabbits and Their Parental Lines Using Microsatellite Markers. 3rd International Conference on Biotechnology Applications in Agriculture (ICBAA). Benha University, Moshtohor and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. p. 9-24.
El-Aksher, S.H., H. S. Sherif, M. H. Khalil, H. A. S. El-Garhy, & S. Ramadan. 2017. Molecular analysis of a new synthetic rabbit line and their parental populations using microsatellite and SNP markers. Gene Rep. 8:17-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genrep.2017.05.001
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). 2011. Commission on Genetic Resources For Food and Agriculture: Draft Guidelines on Molecular Genetic Characterization of Animal Genetic Resources. Measurement of Domestic Animal Diversity (MoDAD)-ISAG/FAO Recommended Microsatellite Markers. Rome, 18-22 July 2011. [ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1404e/a1404e00.pdf]
Frankham, R., D. A. Briscoe, & J. D. Ballou. 2012. Introduction to Conservation Genetics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511809002
Grimal, A., H. M. M.Safaa, M. D. Saenz-de-Juano, M.P. Viudes-de- Castro, G. M. K. Mehaisen, D. A. A. Elsayed, R. Lavara, F. Marco-Jiménez, & J. S. Vicente. 2012. Phylogenetic relationship among four Egyptian and one Spanish rabbit populations based on microsatellite markers. 10th World Rabbit Congress, Egypt. p. 177-181.
Kannegundla, U., R. S. Sai, P. Amareswari, P. M. Gnana, P. M. & M. Mahender. 2018. Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship analysis of two rabbit breeds by microsatellite markers. J. Anim. Res. 8:289-296. https://doi.org/10.30954/2277-940X.04.2018.19
Nei, M. 1978. Estimation of average heterozygosity and genetic distance from a small number of individuals. Genetics 89:583-590.
Omotoso, A. O., O. Olowofeso, M. Wheto, O. M. Sogunle, O. T. Olufowobi, & E. T. N. Tor. 2019. Genetic variation amongst four rabbit populations in Nigeria using microsatellite markers. Nigerian Journal of Animal Science 21:37-44.
Rabie, T. S. K. M. 2020. Assessment of genetic variability and population structure of five rabbit breeds by microsatellites markers associated with genes. J. World Poult. Res. 10:125-132. https://doi.org/10.36380/jwpr.2020.17
Rahimi, G., A. Khanahmadi, A. Nejati-Javaremi, & S. Smailkhanian. 2015. Evaluation of genetic variability in a breeder flock of native chicken based on randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers. Iran. J. Biotechnol. 3:231-234.
Thimmayya A C. & S. W. Buskirk. 2012. Genetic connectivity and diversity of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) in Southern Wyoming. J. Mammal. 93:29-37. https://doi.org/10.1644/11-MAMM-A-045.1
Wu, T., G. Xu, Y. Pan, X. Xie, B. Li, & X. Wu. 2010. Study on genetic diversity of 7 rabbit populations evidenced by microsatellite makers. J. Anim. Vet. Adv. 9:359-365. https://doi.org/10.3923/javaa.2010.359.365
Zenger, K.R., B. J. Richardson, & A. M. Vachot-Griffin. 2003. A rapid population expansion retains genetic diversity within European rabbits in Australia. Mol. Ecol. 12:789-794. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.01759.x

Authors

A. I. Adeolu
adeolufunai2012@gmail.com (Primary Contact)
M. Wheto
V. U. Oleforuh-Okoleh
R. N. Nwose
A. S. Adenaike
A. Yakubu
E. M. Abiola
B. G. Mohammed
Author Biographies

M. Wheto, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture

Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics

V. U. Oleforuh-Okoleh, Department of Animal Science, Rivers State University of Science and Technology

Department of Animal Science, Associate Professor

R. N. Nwose, Department of Agriculture, Animal Science Programme, Alex Ekwueme Federal University

Department of Agriculture, Lecturer II

A. S. Adenaike, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, Federal University of Agriculture

Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics

A. Yakubu, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University

Department of Animal Science, Associate Professor

E. M. Abiola, Department of Agriculture, Animal Science Programme, Alex Ekwueme Federal University

Department of Agriculture, Technologist

B. G. Mohammed, Department of Agriculture, Animal Science Programme, Alex Ekwueme Federal University

Department of Agriculture, Technologist

AdeoluA. I., WhetoM., Oleforuh-OkolehV. U., NwoseR. N., AdenaikeA. S., YakubuA., AbiolaE. M., & MohammedB. G. (2021). Genetic Diversity of Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Population in South Eastern Nigeria Using Microsatellite Markers: . Tropical Animal Science Journal, 44(3), 280-287. https://doi.org/10.5398/tasj.2021.44.3.280

Article Details

List of Cited By :

Crossref logo