Characterization and diversity analysis of European local pig breeds and production systems under Treasure project framework

Treasure is a multidisciplinary European Union H2020 funded project focused on the research and development of activities for the benefit of sustainable pork chains based on European local pig breeds and their production systems. One of the main objectives of the project is to demonstrate singularity of about 20 untapped local pig populations from nine European countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Germany and Lithuania) through phenotypic, genomic and transcriptomic activities. Genomic approaches include the use of high density SNP data, candidate gene analyses and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Untapped breeds are first characterized at the production system level through a specific survey addressed to collect census data, breed distribution and phenotypic traits and information on breed organizations and production chains. Genomic data analyses bring the possibility for the estimation of different population genetics and population genomics indicators, such as relative homozygosity and observed and expected genetic diversity of the studied local pig breeds, as well as the definition of the structure of meta-populations through the proportion of shared alleles/haplotypes among animals and population admixture parameters. Comparative analyses including commercial pig populations in Europe identify genome regions with evidence of selective sweeps or signatures of demographic events across breeds. WGS analyses are focused on population adaptation and resilience signatures. To complete the local pig breed characterization, identification of population-specific biological processes responsible for specific production traits and product quality will be achieved through transcriptomic and metagenomic assays under specific production systems and management conditions. Together all these analyses are expected to provide useful methods and DNA markers for authentication and traceability of mono-breed products, conservation of local pig genetic resources and development of specific breeding programs for sustainable pork production chains in Europe. The Treasure project is funded under European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Grant No. 634476