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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #234506
Title: The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution

Author
item ELSIK, CHRISTINE - GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
item GIBBS, RICHARD - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item SKOW, LOREN - TEXAS A&M
item TELLAM, ROSS - CSIRO
item WEINSTOCK, GEORGE - WASH UNIV SCHOOL OF MED
item WORLEY, KIMBERLY - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Kappes, Steven - Steve
item Green, Ronald
item Alexander, Leeson
item Bennett, Gary
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item Chitko-Mckown, Carol
item HAMERNIK, DEBORA - USDA-CSREES
item Harhay, Gregory
item Keele, John
item Liu, Ge - George
item Macneil, Michael
item MATUKUMALLI, LAKSHMI - USDA-ARS-BARC
item Rijnkels, Monique
item Roberts, Andrew
item Smith, Timothy - Tim
item Snelling, Warren
item Stone, Roger
item Waterman, Richard
item White, Stephen
item Sonstegard, Tad
item Van Tassell, Curtis - Curt

Submitted to: Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2009
Publication Date: 4/24/2009
Citation: Elsik, C.G., Gibbs, R., Skow, L., Tellam, R., Weinstock, G., Worley, K., Kappes, S.M., Green, R.D., Alexander, L.J., Bennett, G.L., Carroll, J.A., Chitko Mckown, C.G., Hamernik, D.L., Harhay, G.P., Keele, J.W., Liu, G., Macneil, M.D., Matukumalli, L.K., Rijnkels, M., Roberts, A.J., Smith, T.P., Snelling, W.M., Stone, R.T., Waterman, R.C., White, S.N. 2009. The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution. Science. 324:522-528.

Interpretive Summary: As a major step toward understanding the biology and evolution of ruminants, the cattle genome was sequenced to ~7x coverage. The cattle genome contains a minimum of 22,000 genes, with a core set of 14,345 identifiable equivalents found in seven mammalian species. There are many evolutionary breakpoint regions in chromosomes identified by cross-species analysis, but those that are cattle-specific have a higher density of chromosome segment duplications, several types of repetitive elements, and species-specific variants in genes associated with lactation and immune responsiveness. Genes involved in metabolism were found highly conserved, although five metabolic genes are deleted or extensively diverged from their human counterparts. The cattle genome sequence provides a new resource for mammalian genome annotation and for accelerating genetic improvement for milk and meat production.

Technical Abstract: As a major step toward understanding the biology and evolution of ruminants, the cattle genome was sequenced to ~7x coverage using a combined whole genome shotgun and BAC skim approach. The cattle genome contains a minimum of 22,000 genes, with a core set of 14,345 orthologs found in seven mammalian species. Evolutionary breakpoint regions in chromosomes that are cattle-specific have a higher density of segmental duplications, several types of repetitive elements, and species-specific variations in genes associated with lactation and immune responsiveness. Genes involved in metabolism were found highly conserved, although five metabolic genes are deleted or extensively diverged from their human counterparts. The cattle genome sequence provides a new resource for mammalian genome annotation and for accelerating genetic improvement for milk and meat production.