Maria Adina Manea et al. 102 Microsatellites variations in Romanian Mangalitsa and Large White swine populations Maria Adina Manea † , S. E. Georgescu, Sorina Dinescu, Steliana Kevorkian, Marieta Costache University of Bucharest, Molecular Biology Center, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 5 Bucharest, Romania SUMMARY Genotype data from 11 microsatellites were used to assess genetic variation among 2 swine breeds: Mangalitsa and Large White. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested and the exact P-value over all loci and breeds was not significant. Estimates of average observed and expected heterozygosities, and number of alleles per population was obtained. The lowest and highest observed heterozygosities were found in the Large White breed (0.150-SW24 and 0.912- SO228). For a number of microsatellites, alleles that present frequencies up to 0.46 in one populations were not detected in other populations (SO005, SO355, SW24, and SW911). In this study we demonstrate the differences between Mangalitsa and Large White swine populations in terms of allelic diversity. Keywords: Mangalitsa, Large White, microsatellite, variation INTRODUCTION Livestock breeds have been formed by centuries of natural and human selection. Breeds have been selected to fit a wide range of environmental conditions and human needs but the selection of a few highly productive breeds caused the decline of other breeds. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicated that approximately 30% of the world’s farm animal breeds were at risk of extinction. Mangalitsa is one of the swine breeds in Romania included on the FAO list of endangered species. This breed has a similar origin to other Mediterranean breeds produced at the same time, but originates from the Balkan region where there was less crossing with Asian pigs. The Sumadija pig from the Morava and Sava Valleys and the Syrmia pig from Slavonia are considered to be possible ancestors of the Mangalitsa (Moldoveanu G et al., 1944). Mangalitsa was † Corresponding author email address: adina_manea@yahoo.com , marietacostache@yahoo.com