New genetic studies have revealed important new details about the domestication of horses. Ancient DNA evidence suggests this remarkable process must have started at least 4,200 years ago in the Don-Volga steppes of Eastern Europe. Xuexue Liu and Ludovic Orlando are in the middle of an exciting study at the Center for Anthropology and Genomics in Toulouse, France. They’re sequencing the DNA of ancient horse remains to reveal the genetic characteristics that set the stage for domestication and transformed horses into indispensable partners for humanity.
To answer those questions, the researchers delved into the DNA of over 100 ancient horse remains. They focused on 266 genetic markers associated with various horse characteristics. These markers have been found to be associated with important traits including coat color, body conformation, gait, and temperament. Their results show how a particular gene variant came to dominate the horse population over just a few centuries. This variant may be associated with tameness and specific behavioral characteristics.
The research shows that early domestication was largely about breeding horses with a more docile temperament. These animals were more docile, less aggressive, and easier to handle. 5,000 years ago, she explained, a salient genetic region associated with the ZFPM1 gene became positively selected by selective breeding practices. This further emphasizes the importance of polygenic traits in driving horse evolution.
“Our results indicate that selection at the GSDMC locus was instrumental to the emergence and success of the DOM2 bloodline (modern domestic horse lineage)… enhancing locomotor capacity and contributing to the rise of horse-based mobility ~4200 years ago,” – Xuexue Liu et al.
To do this, the researchers pinpointed genetic markers. These genetic markers show how specific physical characteristics have shaped the domestication process and evolution of horses, laying the foundation for the breeds that became so crucial to transportation and agriculture. This work gives a much better sense of what selective pressures were shaping horse populations during this transformative period.
With Liu and Orlando continuing onward, their trailblazing research on horse evolution has just begun. Specifically, they want to do deeper studies into the ways horses acclimatize to varying environments. This would help to better understand the deep and intricate history of the relationship between people and equines.
The results of this comprehensive study were released to the public in the professional publication journal Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.aea6151. This landmark breakthrough in horse genetics paves thrilling new pastures for exploration. Beyond horses, it will help us learn more about how domestication has shaped all our domesticated species.