Himalayan leap for yak genomic science

The Indian yak successful the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Specialists from 4 institutions of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) person assembled the first-ever chromosome-level genome of the Indian yak.

The Indian yak (Bos grunniens), often called the ‘ship of the Himalayas’, is an integral portion of the system of high-altitude dwellers, who beryllium connected it for meat, milk, and transportation. The bovine carnal has agelong been recognised for its resilience and adaptability to utmost conditions.

Mihir Sarkar, the manager of ICAR-National Research Centre connected Yak successful Arunachal Pradesh’s Dirang, said the “leap for yak genomic science“ marks a important milestone that promises to revolutionise yak breeding programmes, conservation efforts, and the knowing of the familial complexities of this captious taxon and its ecological relation successful the Himalayan landscape.

Along with Martina Pukhrambam and Vijay Paul, helium led the genomic probe for the ICAR-NRC connected Yak. Sujay Rakshit, A.K. Mohanty, and Y.G. Prasad, the directors of the Ranchi-based ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, the Meerut-based ICAR-Central Institute for Research connected Cattle, and the Nagpur-based ICAR-CIRC, led their respective probe teams for the project.

The probe squad utilised cutting-edge long-read sequencing exertion and bioinformatics tools to make the chromosome-level assembly, which maps the genes to their circumstantial locations connected the chromosomes, offering a importantly clearer and broad picture.

“A comparative genomics betwixt different bovine taxon with the generated information volition unfastened up allele mining for utile genes contributing to biotic and abiotic stresses and prime traits. The availability of a elaborate genome is expected to payment technological probe and section livestock absorption practices,” Dr. Rakshit said.

“With this genome, we tin amended recognize however to prolong yak populations crossed the Himalayan belt,” Dr. Mohanty said.

Dr. Sarkar underscored the request for a concerted effort to construe these findings into practice, particularly successful conservation and sustainable development.

“This assets volition beryllium invaluable for identifying familial markers for traits similar acold tolerance, illness resistance, and beverage accumulation with overmuch greater precision, which volition guarantee the semipermanent sustainability of yak populations and yet pb to the socio-economic uplift of yak herders,” Dr. Pukhrambam said.

In India, yaks are recovered supra 7,000 feet successful Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. They look galore challenges, including reduced grazing area, clime change, disease, and familial erosion.

Published - May 14, 2025 10:36 p.m. IST