Whole Genome-Wide Detection of Selection Signatures in Korean Native Black Pig from Jeju Island

Korean native black pigs from Jeju Island (JBP) served as representative Korean native black pigs to help rebound from the danger of extinction in 1980s. Geographical isolation of Jeju Island from the Korean peninsula has allowed Jeju black pigs not only to acquire unique characteristics but also to retain merits of rare Korean native pigs. To characterize the Jeju black pig genome, we performed whole-genome re-sequencing (average read depth of ~14×) of 8 Jeju black pig and 6 Korean pigs to identify genomic regions under positive selection signature in Jeju black pig, the true and pure Korean native black pigs. The candidate genes as outliers in Jeju black pig support the previous reports for higher marbling score, rarely suffer from pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat, but inferior growth and carcass traits compared to Western breeds. Jeju black pigs can offer a rare opportunity to investigate the true genetic resource of once endangered Korean native black pigs. Further genome-wide analyses of Jeju black pigs on a larger population scale might provide valuable insights into conservation and improvement of the native pig resources.