Genotyping-by-sequencing strategy for integrating genomic structure, diversity and performance of various Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) breeds

Simple Summary: Artificial selection has been applied to domesticated birds for many decades. More recently, this selection has made use of so-called single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers—simple variants in a DNA sequence. These SNPs can be used for whole-genome screening to detect the unique traces of areas of the genome that are subject to selection. Doing this may help to shed light on the evolutionary and family history (phylogeny) of domestic Japanese quails of different breeds and utility types (e.g., egg, meat or dual-purpose breeds). In this study, 99 birds were used, representing eight breeds (11% of the world’s quail gene pool) and various purposes of use to gather genetic (whole-genome) data in the first-ever analysis of its kind performed on domestic quails. We thereby uncovered evolutionary relationships and points of divergence of individual quail breeds, gleaning important insights into the genetic diversity of domestic quail breeds and their future breeding potential. Abstract: Traces of long-term artificial selection can be detected in genomes of domesticated birds via whole-genome screening using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. This study thus examined putative genomic regions under selection that are relevant to the development history, divergence and phylogeny among Japanese quails of various breeds and utility types. We sampled 99 birds from eight breeds (11% of the global gene pool) of egg (Japanese, English White, English Black, Tuxedo and Manchurian Golden), meat (Texas White and Pharaoh) and dual-purpose (Estonian) types. The genotyping-by-sequencing analysis was performed for the first time in domestic quails, providing 62,935 SNPs. Using principal component analysis, Neighbor-Net and Admixture algorithms, the studied breeds were characterized according to their genomic architecture, ancestry and direction of selective breeding. Japanese and Pharaoh breeds had the smallest number and length of homozygous segments indicating a lower selective pressure. Tuxedo and Texas White breeds showed the highest values of these indicators and genomic inbreeding suggesting a greater homozygosity. We revealed evidence for the integration of genomic and performance data, and our findings are applicable for elucidating the history of creation and genomic variability in quail breeds that, in turn, will be useful for future breeding improvement strategies