Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Pig Genome Newsletter #114
From: "Rothschild, Max F [AN S]" <mfrothsc@iastate.edu>
To: angenmap@animalgenome.org
Subject: US Pig Genome Newsletter #114
Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:01:14 -0600
Pig Genome Update # 114 (Special Issue):
- PDF version is available at
http://www.animalgenome.org/pig/newsletter/pdf/No.114.pdf
- Web version is available at
http://www.animalgenome.org/pig/newsletter/No.114.html
- Plain text version is appended below:
P I G G E N O M E U P D A T E
_________________________________________________________________
A Periodic Newsletter of the U.S. Pig Genome Coordination Program
**** Special Issue * No. 114 ****
* *
* November 14, 2012 *
*************************************
This little piggy went to publication!!
The Swine Genome Sequencing Consortium is pleased to announce the publication
of a high quality draft genome sequence for the pig (Sus scrofa). The paper
entitled "Analyses of pig genomes provide insight into porcine demography and
evolution" describing the sequencing, analysis and annotation of this draft
genome sequence is published in Nature. In parallel a series of companion
papers has been published in BMC journals.
The genome paper reports analyses not only of the reference genome of Duroc
2-14 aka TJ Tabasco but also analyses of genomes of several wild boars and
other domesticated pigs. The analyses revealed a deep phylogenetic split
between European and Asian wild boars dating back ~1 million years. This
observation, in part, provides final justification for the wide trait mapping
crosses developed in the 1990s, especially between Western and Chinese
breeds. It was argued at the time that Chinese and Western pigs were as
genetically divergent as Mus musculus and Mus spretus species of mice which
had been extensively used in mouse genetics research. In effect, this
judgment has been validated.
As observed in other genomes, genes encoding immune response functions show
evidence of rapid evolution. The pig has the largest repertoire of functional
olfactory receptor genes of any mammal sequenced to date - perhaps that is
why they are effective hunters for truffles. There is evidence that genes
involved in taste are located in pig evolutionary break points. Pigs can
tolerate higher levels of substances that are distasteful to humans - perhaps
the ability of pigs to eat material that is unpalatable to humans was one of
the attractions when they were domesticated.
A comparison of multiple pig genomes and the comparison of pig and human
genomes reveal several potentially disease-causing genetic variants which may
extend the value of pigs in biomedical research.
The pig industry has an excellent track record for rapid and effective
exploitation of new knowledge and technologies. The pig genome sequence is
expected to enable the acceleration of pig genetics research, the results of
which are expected to be translated into pig improvement in a timely manner.
The pig industry support for the sequencing project is gratefully
acknowledged by the Consortium.
This paper represents an important landmark for the Consortium which was
launched back in 2003. For many of the authors their collaborative research
in pig genetics and genomics stretches back to the early 1990s and the
European PiGMaP project and USDA Pig Genome Coordinated activities in the US.
The project has benefited from these long established collaborations and
friendships. Transnational funding was critical to the delivery of the
project, including USDA funding to The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute,
European Commission and European Research Council funding and significant
contributions from Korean, Japanese and Chinese national sources and many
others including several US universities and industry partners which are all
acknowledged in the paper. The draft pig genome sequence, the pig genome
paper and associated companion papers are important achievements for the pig
research community, but there is more still to learn and do (kindly provided
by Alan Archibald, Martien Groenen, and Larry Schook On behalf of the Swine
Genome Sequencing Consortium).
Congratulations go to not only the authors, donors and contributors for
this effort to produce the paper but also the many colleagues over the past
years who have contributed to the pig genome research efforts worldwide.
Max F. Rothschild
U.S. Pig Genome Coordinator
2255 Kildee Hall
Department of Animal Science
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
Phone/Fax: 515-294-6202
mfrothsc@iastate.edu
===========================================================================
Supported by Multi-State Research Funds to the National Research Service
Program: NRSP-8. National Animal Genome Research Program, Lakshmi Matukumalli
NAGRP Director, NIFA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web: http://www.animalgenome.org/pig | Mail: angenmap@animalgenome.org
===========================================================================
