Evaluation of genetic studies on camels in Saudi Arabia: traits, tools, and applications.

In Saudi Arabia, the dromedary camel (Arabian camel) has enormous cultural, economic, and ecological importance. Nevertheless, camel genetic studies and breeding have lagged behind those of other livestock species in the past. This review summarizes findings from recent research on the genetic diversity, population structure, and functional traits of Saudi Arabian camels. It presents the application of molecular technologies, including microsatellite markers, mitochondrial DNA, whole-genome sequencing, and multi-omics approaches, in studying camel phenotypes such as milk yield, growth rate, and environmental adaptability. Camel milk has become the focus of attention due to its distinct nutritional and therapeutic potential, such as its high content of lactoferrin, immunoglobulins, and insulin-like peptides with antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial properties. Moreover, the identification of heavy-chain-only antibodies has established camels as an unrivaled source of nanobodies with emerging biomedical applications in cancer therapy, infectious disease treatment, and neurodegenerative disorders. Despite high genetic variability and adaptive potential, the integration of genomics into structured breeding and conservation programs remains limited due to fragmented data, the absence of centralized registries, and insufficient national initiatives. Geographic organization and ecotype-related characteristics further highlight the influence of tribal activities and ecological regions on genetic differentiation. This review highlights the promise of genomic resources in breeding, conservation, and biotechnology, such as nanobody research and biomedical applications, and provides directions for the sustainable development of camel genetic resources in arid lands.