Genetic Structure of Mongolian Goat Populations Using Microsatellite Loci Analysis

We studied genetic diversity and relationships among Mongolian goat populations on the basis of microsatellite DNA polymorphisms. DNA samples from eight populations (Bayandelger, Uigii Red, Zavkhan Buural, Sumber, Zalaajinst White, Erchim Black, Dorgon, and Gobi Gurvan Saikhan) from geographically distinct areas of Mongolia were analyzed by using 10 microsatellite DNA markers. Since the 10 markers were highly polymorphic, the genetic characteristics of these native goat populations could be estimated. Genetic diversity within populations, as estimated by the expected heterozygosities, was high, ranging from 0.719 to 0.746, but genetic differentiation between populations was low, representing only 1.7% of the total genetic variation. The results suggest that Mongolian native goat populations still have a semi-wild genetic structure reflecting traditional Mongolian nomadism and the short history of artificial selection. The genetic relationships among the populations were not clear in the neighbor-joining tree generated from the modified Cavalli-Sforza chord genetic distances. By using principal components analysis, the five core populations of Mongolian native goats (Bayandelger, Ulgii Red, Zavkhan Buural, Sumber, and Dorgon) and the populations crossed with Russian breeds (Zalaajinst White, Erchim Black, and Gobi Gurvan Saikhan) were distinguished. There was no correlation between genetic relationships among the populations and the geographical distribution of the populations.