Climate Resilience in Goats: a Comprehensive Review of the Genetic Basis for Adaptation to Varied Climatic Conditions

Overview

Journal Mamm Genome

Specialty Genetics

Date 2024 Dec 31

PMID 39738581

Authors

Ram Parsad

Sonika Ahlawat

Meena Bagiyal

Reena Arora

Ritika Gera

Pooja Chhabra

Upasna Sharma

Ajay Singh

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The sustainability of livestock systems is widely acknowledged to be threatened by climate change on a worldwide scale. There are worries about the effects this phenomenon may have on the productivity and performance of native livestock species due to its influence on environmental stresses, such as the frequency and severity of unfavorable weather occurrences and the ongoing changes in the agro-ecological landscape. Among the most climatically tolerant livestock animals, goats can survive in a range of environments, from deserts to alpine areas. The domestic goat has undergone significant phenotypic changes in terms of shape, behavior, physiological adaptation, reproduction, and production over their evolutionary journey. It will be possible to better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying successful domestication and the practical breeding strategies leading to the improvement in productivity and resilience to environmental challenges by identifying the genes underlying these modifications. This review explores current knowledge on goat adaptation strategies, emphasizing gene expression patterns, epigenetic modifications, and whole-genome selection signatures. It examines how these molecular mechanisms enable goats to endure heat stress, hypoxia, and other environmental challenges. Furthermore, the review highlights the potential of epigenetic markers and selection signatures in developing climate-resilient goat breeds through marker-assisted selection and genome editing, offering actionable insights into sustainable goat production in the context of global climate change.

Citing Articles

Deciphering the molecular drivers for cashmere/pashmina fiber production in goats: a comprehensive review.

Vasu M, Ahlawat S, Arora R, Sharma R Mamm Genome. 2025; 36(1):162-182.

PMID: 39904908 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-025-10109-z.

Unraveling the maternal heritage: identifying the complex origins of indigenous Indian horse and pony breeds through mitochondrial genome analysis.

Ahlawat S, Sharma U, Niranjan S, Chhabra P, Arora R, Sharma R Mamm Genome. 2024; 36(1):118-128.

PMID: 39630294 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-024-10089-6.

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