Evidence of Natural Selection Footprints among Some African Chicken Breeds and Village Ecotypes

Abstract

In Africa, where general breeding and vaccination programs for chickensare absent, natural selection is a major factorin shaping genetic variation for adaptation to abiotic and biotic environmental stressors, e.g. heat, highaltitude and disease.In this study two groups of chicken populations adapted to two different environments (North-African, and West-African), in addition to a synthetic commercial breed (Kuroiler),were genomicallycompared. Genomic comparison using SNPs between suchunselected populations and the selected and genetically improved commercial one willlikely result in detection of natural selection footprints and genes responsible for adaptation traits. Thisinformation may assistimproving commercial linesto be more tolerant/resistant under expected climate change. Knowledge ofgenes involved inimmunity and diseaseresistance could be utilized for genome selection and lessen the utilization of antibioticswhich will increase chicken meat/egg quality for American consumers.