Selection Increases Mitonuclear DNA Discordance but Reconciles Incompatibility in African Cattle

作者：Xian Shi, Cheng Ma, Ningbo Chen, Ming-Min Xu, Sumaya Kambal, Zheng‐Fei Cai, Qiwen Yang, Adeniyi C. Adeola, Li-Sheng Liu, Jun Wang, Wenfa Lu, Yan Li, George Msalya, Chuzhao Lei, Joram M. Mwacharo, Jian-Lin Han, Olivier Hanotte, Ya‐Ping Zhang, Min‐Sheng Peng · 发表于：Molecular Biology and Evolution · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1093/molbev/msaf039 · 被引用次数：9 · 研究领域：Animal Genetics and Reproduction、Chromosomal and Genetic Variations、Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals

Mitochondrial function relies on the coordinated interactions between genes in the mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genomes. Imperfect interactions following mitonuclear incompatibility may lead to reduced fitness. Mitochondrial DNA introgressions across species and populations are common and well documented. Various strategies may be expected to reconcile mitonuclear incompatibility in hybrids or admixed individuals. African admixed cattle (Bos taurus × B. indicus) show sex-biased admixture, with taurine (B. taurus) mitochondrial DNA and a nuclear genome predominantly of humped zebu (B. indicus). Here, we leveraged local ancestry inference approaches to identify the ancestry and distribution patterns of nuclear functional genes associated with the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation process in the genomes of African admixed cattle. We show that most of the nuclear genes involved in mitonuclear interactions are under selection and of humped zebu ancestry. Variations in mitochondrial DNA copy number may have contributed to the recovery of optimal mitochondrial function following admixture with the regulation of gene expression, alleviating or nullifying mitochondrial dysfunction. Interestingly, some nuclear mitochondrial genes with enrichment in taurine ancestry may have originated from ancient African aurochs (B. primigenius africanus) introgression. They may have contributed to the local adaptation of African cattle to pathogen burdens. Our study provides further support an...