Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism in Moroccan goats

The present study characterizes the mitochondrial DNA diversity of Moroccan goats. 150 goats of different phenotypic entities were sampled over four geographic regions covering most of the Moroccan territory and the HVI segment of their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was sequenced. The 150 Moroccan goats represented 97 haplotypes for this mtDNA fragment. Most of this diversity was present within phenotypic entities and within geographic regions. This weak genetic structure may result from the fact that all haplotypes were already mixed in the populations that colonized Morocco and/or the existence of recurrent gene flows from Mediterranean routes. Comparing the Moroccan haplotype diversity to that of 21 haplotypes representative of the worldwide diversity showed that all the Moroccan goats studied belonged to the A haplogroup that is preponderant in the world. The haplotypes of the Northern region appeared to be less diverse, what would probably reflect a stronger founder effect in this region.