Environmental and Socio–Cultural Factors Impacting the Unique Gene Pool Pattern of Mae Hong-Son Chicken

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Mae Hong Son chicken is a local breed of North Thai domestic chicken widely distributed in Mae Hong Son; however, its genetic characterization, origin, and diversity remain unclear. Here, we studied the socio–cultural, environmental, and genetic aspects of the Mae Hong Son chicken breed, and we investigated its genetic diversity and footprint using the genotyping of 28 microsatellite markers and analyzed mitochondrial D-loop sequencing data. Genetic diversity analysis indicated that the Mae Hong Son chicken population is genetically highly diverse, with 35 haplotypes clustered into haplogroups A, B, E, and F, mostly in the North ecotype. Allelic gene pool patterns showed a unique DNA fingerprint of the Mae Hong Son chicken, as compared to other breeds and red junglefowl. A genetic introgression of some parts of the gene pool of red junglefowl and other indigenous breeds was identified in the Mae Hong Son chicken, supporting the hypothesis of the origin of the Mae Hong Son chicken as a crossbreed between red junglefowl and Thai indigenous village chickens that adapted to the environmental, social, and cultural conditions in its habitat. These findings enrich our understanding of the genetic blueprint, origin, and evolutionary process of the Mae Hong Son chickens and lay the foundation for future studies to improve domestic chickens using this indigenous chicken breed. ABSTRACT: Understanding the genetic diversity of domestic chicken breeds under the impact of socio–cultural and ecological dynamics is vital for the conservation of natural resources. Mae Hong Son chicken is a local breed of North Thai domestic chicken widely distributed in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand; however, its genetic characterization, origin, and diversity remain poorly understood. Here, we studied the socio–cultural, environmental, and genetic aspects of the Mae Hong Son chicken breed and investigated its diversity and allelic gene pool. We genotyped 28 microsatellite markers and analyzed mitochondrial D-loop sequencing data to evaluate genetic diversity and assessed spatial habitat suitability using maximum entropy modeling. Sequence diversity analysis revealed a total of 188 genotyped alleles, with overall nucleotide diversity of 0.014 ± 0.007, indicating that the Mae Hong Son chicken population is genetically highly diverse, with 35 (M1–M35) haplotypes clustered into haplogroups A, B, E, and F, mostly in the North ecotype. Allelic gene pool patterns showed a unique DNA fingerprint of the Mae Hong Son chicken, as compared to other breeds and red junglefowl. A genetic introgression of some parts of the gene pool of red junglefowl and other indigenous breeds was identified in the Mae Hong Son chicken, supporting the hypothesis of the origin of the Mae Hong Son chicken. During domestication in the past 200–300 years after the crossing of indigenous chickens and red junglefowl, the Mae Hong Son chicken has adapted to the highland environment and played a significant socio–cultural role in the Northern Thai community. The unique genetic fingerprint of the Mae Hong Son chicken, retaining a high level of genetic variability that includes a dynamic demographic and domestication history, as well as a range of ecological factors, might reshape the adaptation of this breed under selective pressure.