A Search for Eurasian Sheep Relationships: Genomic Assessment of the Autochthonous Sheep Breeds in Russia and the Persian Plateau

Genomic assessment of local sheep breeds is relevant to the reconstruction post-domestication migrations and filling in gaps developmental history contemporary phylogeographic-differentiation patterns Eurasia. In this study, we aimed reveal possible genetic relationships between Russia Persian Highlands (Iran) based on high-density SNP genotypes. All samples (n = 395) from 11 Iranian 10 Russian were genotyped by using Ovine Infinium HD BeadChip (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). Principal Component Analysis, maximum-likelihood assessment, Neighbor-Net graph analysis demonstrated a clear differentiation European ancestry cluster Asian origin. Admixture revealed shared ancestral background, which was detected several Iranian-local Russian-local fat-tailed coarse-wool breeds. Our findings contribute better understanding pattern historic admixture, present genomes many Eurasian