Adaptation and possible ancient interspecies introgression in pigs identified by whole-genome sequencing

In January 2015, Prof. Xiaodong Fang, Scientific Advisor of the company, in collaboration with Prof. Lusheng Huang and Prof. Jun Ren's team from Jiangxi Agricultural University, and Rasmus Nielsen's team from UC Berkeley, published a groundbreaking study in Nature Genetics .

The team performed high-depth whole-genome sequencing of 69 pigs from 15 geographically distinct regions across China (covering 11 local breeds and 3 wild boar populations), successfully producing the first near-complete "genetic map" of pigs.

The core breakthrough of this research lies in the first-ever discovery that the "cold-resistance genes" of Chinese native pigs may have originated from an ancient wild boar that went extinct long ago. The team identified a 14-million-base-pair "climate adaptation zone" on the X chromosome—where cold-resistant pigs from the north and heat-tolerant pigs from the south carry completely different gene versions . More surprisingly, the "cold-resistant version" in northern pigs was not evolved independently, but was "borrowed equipment" obtained through "mixing blood" with an ancient wild boar tens of thousands of years ago—this is the first empirical evidence in domesticated animals of environmental adaptation achieved through cross-species "gene borrowing" . Additionally, the study discovered 21 million genetic variations never previously recorded, as well as multiple "smart genes" related to body temperature regulation.

This achievement not only overturns the traditional belief that "adaptive evolution can only rely on self-mutation," but also provides crucial "genetic codes" for breeding new pig varieties resistant to both cold and heat, and for protecting precious local pig breeds, holding significant practical value for ensuring meat supply and biodiversity conservation.