African Pastoralism: Genetic Imprints of Origins and Migrations

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 296; no. 5566; pp. 336 - 339
• Main Authors: Hanotte, Olivier, Bradley, Daniel G., Ochieng, Joel W., Verjee, Yasmin, Hill, Emmeline W., J. Edward O. Rege
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 12.04.2002; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Admixtures; Africa; Alleles; Analysis of Variance; Animal Husbandry; Animal productions; Animals; Animals, Domestic - classification; Animals, Domestic - genetics; Anthropology; Archaeology; Biological and medical sciences; Bos indicus; Bos taurus; Cattle; Cattle - classification; Cattle - genetics; Continents; Domestication; Europe; Evaluation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic research; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Genetics, Population; Humans; Individualized Instruction; Interpolation; Livestock; Microsatellite Repeats; Middle East; Migration; Pastoralism; Physical anthropology; Population genetics; Population genetics, reproduction patterns; Principal Component Analysis; Principals; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrata; Vertebrates; Zebu; Zebus; Africa; Middle East; Europe; Population genetics; Case history; Archaeology; TRANSHUMANCE; Microsatellite DNA; Race; Population migration; Bos indicus; Ungulata; PASTORALISM; Farming animal; Bovine; Extensive rearing; Domestication; Geographical origin; Bos taurus; Introgression; Nomad; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Geographic distribution; Rangeland; Livestock; Artiodactyla; Continents
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1069878

The genetic history of African cattle pastoralism is controversial and poorly understood. We reveal the genetic signatures of its origins, secondary movements, and differentiation through the study of 15 microsatellite loci in 50 indigenous cattle breeds spanning the present cattle distribution in Africa. The earliest cattle originated within the African continent, but Near East and European genetic influences are also identified. The initial expansion of African Bos taurus was likely from a single region of origin. It reached the southern part of the continent by following an eastern route rather than a western one. The B. indicus genetic influence shows a major entry point through the Horn and the East Coast of Africa and two modes of introgression into the continent.