Genetics, Vol. 154, 1785-1791, April 2000, Copyright © 2000

The Origin of the Domestic Pig: Independent Domestication and Subsequent Introgression

E. Giuffraa, J. M. H. Kijasa, V. Amargera, Ö. Carlborga, J.-T. Jeona, and L. Anderssona
a Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, S-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden

Corresponding author: L. Andersson, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Box 597, S-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden., leif.andersson{at}bmc.uu.se (E-mail)

Communicating editor: C. HALEY

The domestic pig originates from the Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa). We have sequenced mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genes from wild and domestic pigs from Asia and Europe. Clear evidence was obtained for domestication to have occurred independently from wild boar subspecies in Europe and Asia. The time since divergence of the ancestral forms was estimated at ~500,000 years, well before domestication ~9,000 years ago. Historical records indicate that Asian pigs were introduced into Europe during the 18th and early 19th centuries. We found molecular evidence for this introgression and the data indicated a hybrid origin of some major "European" pig breeds. The study is an advance in pig genetics and has important implications for the maintenance and utilization of genetic diversity in this livestock species.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
G. J. van Essen, J. C. M. Vernooij, J. A. P. Heesterbeek, D. Anjema, D. Merkus, and D. J. Duncker
Does cardiovascular performance of modern fattening pigs obey allometric scaling laws?
J Anim Sci, June 1, 2009; 87(6): 1991 - 1997.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
A. J. Amaral, H.-J. Megens, R. P. M. A. Crooijmans, H. C. M. Heuven, and M. A. M. Groenen
Linkage Disequilibrium Decay and Haplotype Block Structure in the Pig
Genetics, May 1, 2008; 179(1): 569 - 579.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
A. Ojeda, L.-S. Huang, J. Ren, A. Angiolillo, I.-C. Cho, H. Soto, C. Lemus-Flores, S. M. Makuza, J. M. Folch, and M. Perez-Enciso
Selection in the Making: A Worldwide Survey of Haplotypic Diversity Around a Causative Mutation in Porcine IGF2
Genetics, March 1, 2008; 178(3): 1639 - 1652.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J HeredHome page
F. Lai, J. Ren, H. Ai, N. Ding, J. Ma, D. Zeng, C. Chen, Y. Guo, and L. Huang
Chinese White Rongchang Pig Does Not Have the Dominant White Allele of KIT but Has the Dominant Black Allele of MC1R
J. Hered., January 1, 2007; 98(1): 84 - 87.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
A. Ojeda, J. Rozas, J. M. Folch, and M. Perez-Enciso
Unexpected High Polymorphism at the FABP4 Gene Unveils a Complex History for Pig Populations
Genetics, December 1, 2006; 174(4): 2119 - 2127.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
J. K. Lum, J. K. McIntyre, D. L. Greger, K. W. Huffman, and M. G. Vilar
Recent Southeast Asian domestication and Lapita dispersal of sacred male pseudohermaphroditic "tuskers" and hairless pigs of Vanuatu
PNAS, November 14, 2006; 103(46): 17190 - 17195.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
N. T. D. Thuy, E. Melchinger-Wild, A. W. Kuss, N. V. Cuong, H. Bartenschlager, and H. Geldermann
Comparison of Vietnamese and European pig breeds using microsatellites
J Anim Sci, October 1, 2006; 84(10): 2601 - 2608.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc R Soc BHome page
M. Fang and L. Andersson
Mitochondrial diversity in European and Chinese pigs is consistent with population expansions that occurred prior to domestication
Proc R Soc B, July 22, 2006; 273(1595): 1803 - 1810.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
M.-P. Sanchez, J. Riquet, N. Iannuccelli, J. Gogue, Y. Billon, O. Demeure, J.-C. Caritez, G. Burgaud, K. Feve, M. Bonnet, et al.
Effects of quantitative trait loci on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, and 7 on growth, carcass, and meat quality traits in backcross Meishan x Large White pigs
J Anim Sci, March 1, 2006; 84(3): 526 - 537.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
T. H. Kim, K. S. Kim, B. H. Choi, D. H. Yoon, G. W. Jang, K. T. Lee, H. Y. Chung, H. Y. Lee, H. S. Park, and J. W. Lee
Genetic structure of pig breeds from Korea and China using microsatellite loci analysis
J Anim Sci, October 1, 2005; 83(10): 2255 - 2263.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J HeredHome page
J. R. S. Meadows, K. Li, J. Kantanen, M. Tapio, W. Sipos, V. Pardeshi, V. Gupta, J. H. Calvo, V. Whan, B. Norris, et al.
Mitochondrial Sequence Reveals High Levels of Gene Flow Between Breeds of Domestic Sheep from Asia and Europe
J. Hered., September 1, 2005; 96(5): 494 - 501.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Phil Trans R Soc BHome page
F. Hospital
Selection in backcross programmes
Phil Trans R Soc B, July 29, 2005; 360(1459): 1503 - 1511.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
G. Larson, K. Dobney, U. Albarella, M. Fang, E. Matisoo-Smith, J. Robins, S. Lowden, H. Finlayson, T. Brand, E. Willerslev, et al.
Worldwide Phylogeography of Wild Boar Reveals Multiple Centers of Pig Domestication
Science, March 11, 2005; 307(5715): 1618 - 1621.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Gen. Virol.Home page
C. de Boisseson, V. Beven, L. Bigarre, R. Thiery, N. Rose, E. Eveno, F. Madec, and A. Jestin
Molecular characterization of Porcine circovirus type 2 isolates from post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome-affected and non-affected pigs
J. Gen. Virol., February 1, 2004; 85(2): 293 - 304.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J HeredHome page
J. Yang, J. Wang, J. Kijas, B. Liu, H. Han, M. Yu, H. Yang, S. Zhao, and K. Li
Genetic Diversity Present Within the Near-Complete mtDNA Genome of 17 Breeds of Indigenous Chinese Pigs
J. Hered., September 1, 2003; 94(5): 381 - 385.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant BiolHome page
M. GEORGES and L. ANDERSSON
Positional Identification of Structural and Regulatory Quantitative Trait Nucleotides in Domestic Animal Species
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 2003; 68(0): 179 - 188.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J HeredHome page
G. Queney, A.-M. Vachot, J.-M. Brun, N. Dennebouy, P. Mulsant, and M. Monnerot
Different Levels of Human Intervention in Domestic Rabbits: Effects on Genetic Diversity
J. Hered., May 1, 2002; 93(3): 205 - 209.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 GeneticsHome page
J. M. H. Kijas, M. Moller, G. Plastow, and L. Andersson
A Frameshift Mutation in MC1R and a High Frequency of Somatic Reversions Cause Black Spotting in Pigs
Genetics, June 1, 2001; 158(2): 779 - 785.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
D. E. MacHugh and D. G. Bradley
Livestock genetic origins: Goats buck the trend
PNAS, May 8, 2001; 98(10): 5382 - 5384.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
G. Luikart, L. Gielly, L. Excoffier, J.-D. Vigne, J. Bouvet, and P. Taberlet
From the Cover: Multiple maternal origins and weak phylogeographic structure in domestic goats
PNAS, May 8, 2001; 98(10): 5927 - 5932.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
C. Vilà, J. A. Leonard, A. Götherström, S. Marklund, K. Sandberg, K. Lidén, R. K. Wayne, and H. Ellegren
Widespread Origins of Domestic Horse Lineages
Science, January 19, 2001; 291(5503): 474 - 477.
[Abstract] [Full Text]