Signatures of Admixture and Genetic Uniqueness in the Autochthonous Greek Black Pig Breed Deduced from Gene Polymorphisms Affecting Domestication-Derived Traits

Abstract

The Greek Black Pig (or Greek Pig) is the only recognized autochthonous pig breed raised in Greece, usually in extensive or semi-extensive production systems. According to its name, the characteristic breed coat color is solid black. In this study, with the aim to start a systematic genetic characterization of the Greek Black Pig breed, we investigated polymorphisms in major genes well known to affect exterior and production traits (MC1R, KIT, NR6A1, VRTN and IGF2) and compared these data with population genetic information available in other Mediterranean and Western Balkan pig breeds and wild boars. None of the investigated gene markers were fixed for one allele, suggesting that, in the past, this breed experienced introgression from wild boars and admixture from cosmopolitan pig breeds, enriching the breed genetic pool that should be further investigated to design appropriate conservation genetic strategies. We identified a new MC1R allele, containing two missense mutations already reported in two other independent alleles, but here present in the same haplotype. This allele might be useful to disclose biological information that can lead to better understanding the cascade transmission of signals to produce melanin pigments. This study demonstrated that autochthonous genetic resources can be an interesting reservoir of unexpected genetic variants.