BGI collaborates with Lal Teer Livestock Limited targeting water buffalo genome project

Lal Teer Livestock Limited, an associate of Lal Teer Seed Ltd., the largest seed company in Bangladesh with strong hybrid research program, and BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, jointly announced today that they came to a mutual agreement to conduct collaborative water buffalo genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. This project will lay an important foundation for the breeding of water buffalo, and the understanding of its origin and domestication process.

Water Buffalo is a large bovine animal and common livestock in many countries. Since it was domesticated in Asia countries about 3000 to 6000 years ago, its current population has grown up to about 168 million in the world and with roughly 97% of them in Asia. Water Buffalo also becomes economically important draught animal in many countries, and serves as an importance source for the production of meat, horn, skin and dairy. In particular, it provides more than 5% of the world's milk supply and 20% to 30% of the farm power in Southeast Asia. With the long established history of economic reliance on water buffalo, biological researches have become increasingly important for enhancing its economic value in the future.

Under the collaboration agreement, Lal Teer Livestock Limited will provide BGI with the DNA samples from water buffalo for analysis by next-generation sequencing technologies. The sequencing work will include sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, including genome assembly, annotation and evolutionary analysis. Besides, both parties agree to collaborate in plant genomics research and other genetics programs in future. BGI will also provide necessary technical support to Lal Teer.

"We are excited to have joined forces with BGI to initiate the water buffalo genome project," stated Mr. Tafsir Mohammed Awal, Director of Lal Teer, "Given BGI's expertise in genomic sequencing and bioinformatics as well as its extensive experience researching numerous key animal genomes, such as panda genome, chicken genome, among others, we expect our collaboration to lead to significant research findings in meat quality, milk nutrition, disease resistance and other factors that are important in the breeding of high-quality and productive water buffalo. This will dramatically enhance the intake of milk and meat of the children to supplement their nutrition and food for all ages in Bangladesh"

"We are pleasured to form this partnership with Lal Teer Seed and Lal Teer Livestock to undertake this important project," said Jian Wang, President of BGI, "We believe this project will have significant contribution to the breeding and the understanding of water buffalo evolution."

Provided by BGI Shenzhen