Unraveling candidate genes related to heat tolerance and immune response traits in some native sheep using whole genome sequencing data

Abstract

In the sheep breeding industry, heat stress caused by the general increase in global temperature has become a significant issue, having both direct and indirect effects on animal health and productivity. The identification of effective pathways for responding to heat stress and immune responses, as well as the discovery of related genes, can improve the production and sustainability of genetic diversity in this area. In this study, we used nucleotide diversity (θπ) and FST statistical measurements to analyze the genomic data of the native Iranian sheep in order to find potential genes related to heat adaptation and immune response.