Open AccessMicroevolutionary mechanism of high‐altitude adaptation in Tibetan chicken populations from an elevation gradient
Author(s) -
Zhong HaiAn,
Kong XiaoYan,
Zhang YaWen,
Su YanKai,
Zhang Bo,
Zhu Li,
Chen Hua,
Gou Xiao,
Zhang Hao
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
evolutionary applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 68
ISSN - 1752-4571
DOI - 10.1111/eva.13503
Subject(s) - microevolution , biology , altitude (triangle) , adaptation (eye) , phylogenetic tree , effects of high altitude on humans , plateau (mathematics) , evolutionary biology , breed , gene , ecology , population , genetics , demography , mathematical analysis , geometry , mathematics , anatomy , neuroscience , sociology
As an indigenous breed, the Tibetan chicken is found in highland regions and shows physiological adaptations to high altitude; however, the genetic changes that determine these adaptations remain elusive. We assumed that the microevolution of the Tibetan chicken occurred from lowland to highland regions with a continuous elevation range. In this study, we analyzed the genome of 188 chickens from lowland areas to the high‐altitude regions of the Tibetan plateau with four altitudinal levels. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Tibetan chickens are significantly different from other altitude chicken populations. Reconstruction of the demographic history showed that the migration and admixture events of the Tibetan chicken occurred at different times. The genome of the Tibetan chicken was also used to analyze positive selection pressure that is associated with high‐altitude adaptation, revealing the well‐known candidate gene that participates in oxygen binding ( HBAD ), as well as other novel potential genes (e.g., HRG and ANK2 ) that are related to blood coagulation and cardiovascular efficiency. Our study provides novel insights regarding the evolutionary history and microevolution mechanisms of the high‐altitude adaptation in the Tibetan chicken.