Population genomics reveals that natural variation in <i>PRDM16</i> contributes to cold tolerance in domestic cattle
Chunlong Yan, 延边大学农学院, 吉林 延吉133000, Jun Lin, Yuanyuan Huang, Qingshan Gao, Zhengyu Piao, Shouli Yuan, Li Chen, Xue Ren, Rongcai Ye, Meng Dong, Hanlin Zhang, Huiqiao Zhou, Xiaoxiao Jiang, Wanzhu Jin, Xuming Zhou, Chang−Guo Yan, 中国科学院动物研究所动物生态与保护生物学重点实验室, 北京 100101, 中国, 中国科学院大学, 北京 100049, 中国, 延边大学东北寒区肉牛科技创新教育部工程研究中心, 吉林 延吉 133000, 中国, 安诺优达基因科技有限公司, 北京 100176, 中国
Abstract
Environmental temperature serves as a major driver of adaptive changes in wild organisms. To discover the mechanisms underpinning cold tolerance in domestic animals, we sequenced the genomes of 28 cattle from warm and cold areas across China. By characterizing the population structure and demographic history, we identified two genetic clusters, i.e., northern and southern groups, as well as a common historic population peak at 30 kilo years ago. Genomic scan of cold-tolerant breeds determined potential candidate genes in the thermogenesis-related pathways that were under selection. Specifically, functional analysis identified a substitution of <i>PRDM16</i> (p.P779L) in northern cattle, which maintains brown adipocyte formation by boosting thermogenesis-related gene expression, indicating a vital role of this gene in cold tolerance. These findings provide a basis for genetic variation in domestic cattle shaped by environmental temperature and highlight the role of reverse mutation in livestock species.