nÃo hà / As raÃas de ovinos localmente adaptadas brasileiras, tambÃm conhecidas como nativas ou crioulas, descendem de animais trazidos durante o perÃodo colonial e, desde aquela Ãpoca, vÃm sendo submetidas a processos evolutivos sistemÃticos e nÃo sistemÃticos., o que resultou na formaÃÃo de genÃtipos altamente adaptados Ãs mais diversas condiÃÃes ambientais brasileiras. Embora estas raÃas nÃo possuam o mesmo potencial produtivo das raÃas exÃticas melhoradas, elas sÃo consideradas extremamente importantes devido Ãs relaÃÃes sociais e culturais que guardam com as populaÃÃes do campo. AlÃm disso, as raÃas localmente adaptadas possuem caracterÃsticas adaptativas importantÃssimas para a manutenÃÃo de sistemas produtivos tradicionais. A otimizaÃÃo da utilizaÃÃo dos recursos genÃticos naturalizados depende de um conhecimento profundo destas populaÃÃes e, portanto, a caracterizaÃÃo morfolÃgica, produtiva e molecular sÃo ferramentas imprescindÃveis para o sucesso da conservaÃÃo e utilizaÃÃo deste recurso genÃtico. Com base nisso, o objetivo desta tese foi aprofundar os estudos de caracterizaÃÃo molecular das principais raÃas de ovinos localmente adaptadas brasileiras: Crioula Lanada, Morada Nova e Santa InÃs. Assim, o capÃtulo I intitulado âIdentificaÃÃo de assinaturas de seleÃÃo em animais de produÃÃoâ consiste em uma revisÃo cujo objetivo à descrever os principais efeitos da seleÃÃo natural/artificial nos genomas das espÃcies de animais de produÃÃo, apresentar os principais mÃtodos de anÃlise de assinaturas de seleÃÃo e discutir os recentes avanÃos nesta Ãrea de estudo. Foram realizados dois estudos que resultaram nos capÃtulos II e III desta tese. O capÃtulo II, intitulado âIdentificaÃÃo de assinaturas de seleÃÃo em ovinos de raÃas localmente adaptadas brasileirasâ, teve como objetivo a identificaÃÃo e caracterizaÃÃo de regiÃes genÃmicas provÃveis de estar sob seleÃÃo nas trÃs principais raÃas brasileiras localmente adaptadas de ovinos e caracterizar estar regiÃes com a finalidade de identificar genes envolvidos com diferenÃas produtivas/adaptativas entre estas raÃas. A identificaÃÃo das regiÃes sujeitas à seleÃÃo foi feita com base em dois tipos de metodologia: diferenciaÃÃo entre populaÃÃes (FST) e desequilÃbrio de ligaÃÃo (iHS e Rsb). Foram identificados 78 genes candidatos envolvidos com funÃÃes como: resposta imune, desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso, percepÃÃo sensorial e desenvolvimento de pelos/lÃ. O capÃtulo III, intitulado: âIdentificaÃÃo de subestrutura de populaÃÃes em ovinos de raÃas localmente adaptadas brasileirasâ, teve como objetivos identificar e caracterizar a presenÃa de subestruturaÃÃo genÃtica dentro das trÃs principais raÃas brasileiras localmente adaptadas de ovinos. Foi observada, de uma forma geral, a presenÃa de diferenciaÃÃo genÃtica bastante considerÃvel ao comparar os rebanhos de cada raÃa analisada. AlÃm disso, tanto na raÃa Crioula Lanada quanto na raÃa Santa InÃs, pode ser observada a presenÃa de grupos bem distintos de indivÃduos, sugerindo a efetiva presenÃa de diferentes ecÃtipos/linhagens dentro destas raÃas. / The Brazilian locally adapted sheep breeds, also known as native and creole, are descendant from animals brought during the settlement period and, since then, are been subjected to evolutive (both systematic and non systematic) processes, what resulted in the formation of highly adapted genotypes to the diverse environmental Brazilian conditions. Although these breeds donât posses the same productive potential when compared with the exotic improved breeds, they are considered extremely important from a social and cultural point of view. Moreover, the locally adapted breeds are essential for the maintenance of traditional production systems. The optimization of the utilization of naturalized genetic resources depends on a deep knowledge of these populations, and then, the morphological, productive and molecular characterizations are essential to the success of conservation and utilization of these locally adapted genotypes. Therefore, the principal aim of this thesis was to deepen molecular the knowledge of the three main locally adapted Brazilian sheep breeds: Brazilian Creole, Morada Nova and Santa Ines. Thus, Chapter I entitled "Identification of selection signatures in livestock species" is a literature review that is proposed to describe the main effects of natural/artificial selection in the genomes of species of farm animals, present the main methods of signature selection analysis and discuss recent advances in this area of study. Two studies were conducted and resulted in the chapters II and III of this thesis. The chapter II, entitled âIdentification of selection signatures in brazilian locally adapted sheep breedsâ, aimed the identification and characterization of putative genomic regions that underwent selection and the identification of candidate genes related to productive/adaptative differences between these breeds. The identification of signatures of selection was performed through two approaches: population differentiation (FST) and linkage disequilibrium (iHS and Rsb). Seventy eight genes, related to functions as: immune response, nervous system development, sensorial perception and wool/hair development were identified. The chapter III, entitled âIdentification of population substructure in brazilian locally adapted sheep breedsâ, aimed the identification and characterization of of genetic substructure within the three main locally adapted Brazilian sheep breeds: Brazilian Creole, Morada Nova and Santa Ines. The level of genetic differentiation between herds of the same breeds was, in general, high. Both in the Brazilian Creole and in the Santa Ines breeds the presence of distinct groups on animals could be observed, what suggests the occurrence of different ecotypes/lineages within these breeds.

It has been assumed that the considerable dispersal ability of many marine species would prevent genetic divergence in the absence of geographic isolation. However, recent work has shown that many marine species often develop differentiation among areas within their known dispersal range. This 'paradox' of marine divergence is particularly important among marine mammal species where behavior can restrict gene flow. To investigate genetic substructure within such a species, I used tissue samples collected from 63 stranded Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) in Washington and Oregon between 2006 and 2010 for population stock analysis. DNA was extracted from frozen tissues, and a 551 bp fragment of mtDNA control region sequence and eight microsatellite loci were amplified to investigate localized genetic structure. Minimum spanning network and haplotype frequency analyses of mtDNA sequences indicated that while haplotype lineages are not isolated within a sampling region, there is some evidence of regional differentiation. On the other hand, microsatellite data suggest a lack of substructure among the animals sampled, with only a weak signal of limited gene flow between Puget Sound and coastal areas. Biased dispersal among age classes was also suggested, with juveniles showing less differentiation among areas than adults. Regardless of the historical scenario which has led to this complex pattern of genetic structure in Pacific harbor seals across the Pacific Northwest, my results suggest higher levels of exchange among areas than previously suspected, and will have important consequences for future management considerations for these stocks.