A phylogenetic comparison of wild sheep (Ovis musimon) and domestic sheep (Ovis aries )represented by BCP synthetic line using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence analysis

Based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b (cyt b) gene was partially sequenced and analysed in order to investigate genetic diversity between domestic sheep (Ovis aries) synthetic line BCP n=16 and wild sheep mouflon (Ovis musimon) n=24 from the Sowie Mountains in Poland. All 18 haplotypes were observed which formed two distinct clades in O. aries BCP synthetic line and three clades in mouflon. 14 single nucleotide polymorphic sites (SNPs), were found in domestic sheep, while 22 SNPs in mouflon. Average value of haplotype distance in O.aries was 0.037, while distance among mouflon haplotypes was 0.041. The distribution of haplotypes of wild and domestic sheep suggested intercontinental dispersal genus Ovis. Our data supports the hypothesis that some modern domestic sheep like synthetic line BCP and European mouflon from the Sowie Mountains in Poland derive from a common ancestor.