Molecular genetic diversity of donkey (Equus asinus) in South Korea

Abstract

The research on domestic donkey has little information and criteria comparing to other livestock, companion animal in South Korea. We analyzed genetic database of domestic donkey using microsatellite marker to clarify domestic donkey identification and paternity test. It is the first microsatellite marker analysis on domestic donkey in South Korea. We studied 179 horse samples from 50 Thoroughbred, 50 Jeju Halla horse, including 79 donkeys then analyzed 15 microsatellite marker (AHT4, AHT5, ASB2, ASB17, ASB23, CA425, HMS1, HMS2, HMS3, HMS6, HMS7, HTG4, HTG10, LEX3 and VHL20). We observed genetic diversity from biostatic analysis of them.\n\nThe number of alleles on total average is 6.08 observed from 1 (ASB17), 2 (HMS1) to 14 (AHT5). The observed heterozygosity (OHet) is from 0.0000 (ASB17, HMS1) to 0.8608 (ASB23) which is mean value of 0.4861, the expected heterozygosity (EHet) is from 0.0000 (CA425) to 0.9104 (AHT5) with mean value of 0.5915, and the Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) on each group of microsatellite marker is from 0.0000 (ASB17) to 0.8968 (AHT5) observed as a mean value of 0.5374. Among 15 markers AHT4, AHT5, ASB23, CA425, HMS2, HMS3, HTG4, HTG10, LEX3 is observed above 5.000.\n\nThe results on 15 microsatellite marker analysis of 3 horse groups is that the donkey had 0.5915 EHet, 0.4861 OHet on average, Thoroughbred had 0.6721 EHet, 0.6587 OHet on average, and the Jeju halla horse had 0.7898 EHet, 0.7093 OHet on average observed. Furthermore the mean alleles value is observed as 6.08, 4.83, 8.00 in donkey, Thoroughbred, Jeju halla horse breed in each.