CONCLUSION

In the present study, we used genotyping-by-sequence data to detect selection signatures in wild African harlequin and domestic Japanese quails. Our results revealed candidate genes associated with immune response, growth, reproductive, morphological, and behavioral traits. The wild African harlequin candidate genes were primarily associated with morphological and behavioral traits, whereas the domestic Japanese quail candidate genes were mainly associated with growth and production traits.
Identifying true signatures can be complicated due to the likelihood of detecting false positives. Therefore, further studies are always encouraged to reaffirm and refine results from less-studied species such as the wild African harlequin quail. Nevertheless, this study was able to give a glimpse of how natural and artificial selective pressures have shaped the genomic landscape of wild and domestic quail species. Furthermore, information on the effects of artificial selection on domestic Japanese quails may inform conservation policies for wild quails, especially in regions where domestic quails have been used to restock wild quail populations.