Genetic diversity of the Akhal-Teke horse breed in Turkmenistan based on microsatellite analysis

A sample of the Turkmenian stock of the ancient Akhal Teke horse breed, indigenous in Turkmenistan and regarded to be a genetic resource, were genotyped for 12 DNA microsatellites. To place results in context, DNA samples of the following breeds were also analyzed: Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Turkoman horses from Iran and Akhal Teke populations from the USA and Iran. The number of alleles per locus and the effective number of alleles per locus reveal that the breed has a relatively high allelic diversity. The average genetic diversity measured as expected heterozygosity (H-e) was 0.7. The mean F-IS value, used for estimating the inbreeding, came to 0.053 showing a negligible deficit of heterozygotes. Despite of the separation and long history of the Akhal Teke horses, compared to other breeds its genetic diversity appears not to have reduced. The data gained from the analysis of DNA samples of non-Turkmenian Akhal Teke populations included in the study also supports this conclusion.