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Das R, Roy R, Venkatesh N. Using Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) to Detect Fine Structures Within Gorilla Populations. Front Genet 2019; 10:43. [PMID: 30800141 PMCID: PMC6375890 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The knowledge of ancestral origin is monumental in conservation of endangered animals since it can aid in preservation of population level genetic integrity and prevent inbreeding among related individuals. Despite maintenance of studbook, the biogeographical affiliation of most captive gorillas is largely unknown, which has constrained management of captive gorillas aiming at maximizing genetic diversity at the population level. In recent years, ancestry informative markers (AIMs) has been successfully employed for the inference of genomic ancestry in a wide range of studies in evolutionary genetics, biomedical research, genetic stock identification, and introgression analysis and forensic analyses. In this study, we sought to derive the AIMs yielding the most cohesive and faithful understanding of biogeographical affiliation of query gorillas. To this end, we compared three commonly used AIMs-determining methods namely, Infocalc, F ST , and Smart Principal Component Analysis (SmartPCA) with ADMIXTURE, using gorilla genome data available through Great Ape Genome Project database. Our findings suggest that the SNPs that were detected by at least three of the four AIMs-determining approaches (N = 1,531), is likely most suitable for delineation of gorilla AIMs. It recapitulated the finer structure within western lowland gorilla genomes with high degree of precision. We further have validated the robustness of our results using a randomized negative control containing the same number of SNPs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an AIMs panel for gorillas that may aid in developing cost-effective resources for large-scale demographic analyses, and greatly help in conservation of this charismatic mega-fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranajit Das
- Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Ria Roy
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology, Kodakara, India
| | - Neha Venkatesh
- Department of Genetics, University of Mysore, Mysore, India
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Das R, Upadhyai P. Application of the geographic population structure (GPS) algorithm for biogeographical analyses of wild and captive gorillas. BMC Bioinformatics 2019; 20:35. [PMID: 30717677 PMCID: PMC6362561 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-018-2568-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The utilization of high resolution genome data has important implications for the phylogeographical evaluation of non-human species. Biogeographical analyses can yield detailed understanding of their population biology and facilitate the geo-localization of individuals to promote their efficacious management, particularly when bred in captivity. The Geographic Population Structure (GPS) algorithm is an admixture based tool for inference of biogeographical affinities and has been employed for the geo-localization of various human populations worldwide. Here, we applied the GPS tool for biogeographical analyses and localization of the ancestral origins of wild and captive gorilla genomes, of unknown geographic source, available in the Great Ape Genome Project (GAGP), employing Gorillas with known ancestral origin as the reference data. Results Our findings suggest that GPS was successful in recapitulating the population history and estimating the geographic origins of all gorilla genomes queried and localized the wild gorillas with unknown geographical origin < 150 km of National Parks/Wildlife Reserves within the political boundaries of countries, considered as prominent modern-day abode for gorillas in the wild. Further, the GPS localization of most captive-born gorillas was congruent with their previously presumed ancestral homes. Conclusions Currently there is limited knowledge of the ancestral origins of most North American captive gorillas, and our study highlights the usefulness of GPS for inferring ancestry of captive gorillas. Determination of the native geographical source of captive gorillas can provide valuable information to guide breeding programs and ensure their appropriate management at the population level. Finally, our findings shine light on the broader applicability of GPS for protecting the genetic integrity of other endangered non-human species, where controlled breeding is a vital component of their conservation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-018-2568-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranajit Das
- Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences (MCNS), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), University building, Lab 11, Madhav Nagar, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
| | - Priyanka Upadhyai
- Department of Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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Oliveira PRR, Costa MC, Silveira LF, Francisco MR. Genetic guidelines for captive breeding and reintroductions of the endangered Black-fronted Piping Guan, Aburria jacutinga (galliformes, cracidae), an Atlantic Forest endemic. Zoo Biol 2016; 35:313-8. [PMID: 27232628 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The survival of a number of birds rely on captive breeding and reintroduction into the wild, but captive populations are often small and can be exposed to the negative effects of inbreeding and genetic drift. Then, managers are concerned not only with producing as much offspring as possible, but also with the retention of the maximum genetic variability within and between populations. The Black-fronted Piping Guan, Aburria jacutinga, is an endangered cracid endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern South America. Because of its conservation status and functional importance, a captive breeding program started independently, mainly in three aviaries, in the decade of 1980. Although they have supplied animals for reintroductions, genetic variability aspects have never been considered. Here we addressed levels of genetic variability within and between these aviaries. Bayesian clustering analyses revealed two lineages. Inbreeding was not detected, although we found evidences for a recent bottleneck in one of the aviaries. Then, our main management recommendations are: i) reintroducing the species in areas where it has been extinct is more prudent than supplementing natural populations, as it could involve risks of disrupting local adaptive complexes; ii) as far as inbreeding can be avoided, the captive groups should be managed separately to minimize adaptation to captivity; iii) crossbreedings in pre-release generations could improve reintroduction success; and iv) a studbook should be implemented. As populations of Black-fronted Piping Guan from conservation units are progressively declining, these captive genetic repositories may gain importance in a near future. Zoo Biol. 35:313-318, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo R R Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Conservação, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Campus de Sorocaba, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariellen C Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis F Silveira
- Seção de Aves, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mercival R Francisco
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Campus de Sorocaba, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
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Hans JB, Haubner A, Arandjelovic M, Bergl RA, Fünfstück T, Gray M, Morgan DB, Robbins MM, Sanz C, Vigilant L. Characterization of MHC class II B polymorphism in multiple populations of wild gorillas using non-invasive samples and next-generation sequencing. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:1193-206. [PMID: 26283172 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Genes encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are crucial for the recognition and presentation of antigens to the immune system. In contrast to their closest relatives, chimpanzees and humans, much less is known about variation in gorillas at these loci. This study explored the exon 2 variation of -DPB1, -DQB1, and -DRB genes in 46 gorillas from four populations while simultaneously evaluating the feasibility of using fecal samples for high-throughput MHC genotyping. By applying strict similarity- and frequency-based analysis, we found, despite our modest sample size, a total of 18 alleles that have not been described previously, thereby illustrating the potential for efficient and highly accurate MHC genotyping from non-invasive DNA samples. We emphasize the importance of controlling for multiple potential sources of error when applying this massively parallel short-read sequencing technology to PCR products generated from low concentration DNA extracts. We observed pronounced differences in MHC variation between species, subspecies and populations that are consistent with both the ancient and recent demographic histories experienced by gorillas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg B Hans
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Haubner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Richard A Bergl
- North Carolina Zoological Park, Asheboro, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Maryke Gray
- International Gorilla Conservation Program, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Linda Vigilant
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Genetic structure of captive and free-ranging okapi (Okapia johnstoni) with implications for management. CONSERV GENET 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-015-0726-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Fünfstück T, Vigilant L. The geographic distribution of genetic diversity within gorillas. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:974-985. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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Soto-Calderón ID, Dew JL, Bergl RA, Jensen-Seaman MI, Anthony NM. Admixture between historically isolated mitochondrial lineages in captive Western gorillas: recommendations for future management. J Hered 2015; 106:310-4. [PMID: 25790828 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although captive populations of western gorilla have been maintained in the United States for over a century, little is known about the geographic origins and genetic composition of the current zoo population. Furthermore, although previous mitochondrial analyses have shown that free-range gorilla populations exhibit substantial regional differentiation, nothing is known of the extent to which this variation has been preserved in captive populations. To address these questions, we combined 379 pedigree records with data from 52 mitochondrial sequences to infer individual haplogroup affiliations, geographical origin of wild founders and instances of inter-breeding between haplogroups in the United States captive gorilla population. We show that the current captive population contains all major mitochondrial lineages found within wild western lowland gorillas. Levels of haplotype diversity are also comparable to those found in wild populations. However, the majority of captive gorilla matings have occurred between individuals with different haplogroup affiliations. Although restricting crosses to individuals within the same haplogroup would preserve the phylogeographic structure present in the wild, careful management of captive populations is required to minimize the risk of drift and inbreeding. However, when captive animals are released back into the wild, we recommend that efforts should be made to preserve natural phylogeographic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván D Soto-Calderón
- From the Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148 (Soto-Calderón, Dew, and Anthony); the Molecular Genetics Lab. (GENMOL), University of Antioquia, AA.1226, Medellín, Colombia (Soto-Calderón); the North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205 (Bergl); and the Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (Jensen-Seaman).
| | - J Larry Dew
- From the Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148 (Soto-Calderón, Dew, and Anthony); the Molecular Genetics Lab. (GENMOL), University of Antioquia, AA.1226, Medellín, Colombia (Soto-Calderón); the North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205 (Bergl); and the Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (Jensen-Seaman)
| | - Richard A Bergl
- From the Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148 (Soto-Calderón, Dew, and Anthony); the Molecular Genetics Lab. (GENMOL), University of Antioquia, AA.1226, Medellín, Colombia (Soto-Calderón); the North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205 (Bergl); and the Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (Jensen-Seaman)
| | - Michael I Jensen-Seaman
- From the Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148 (Soto-Calderón, Dew, and Anthony); the Molecular Genetics Lab. (GENMOL), University of Antioquia, AA.1226, Medellín, Colombia (Soto-Calderón); the North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205 (Bergl); and the Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (Jensen-Seaman)
| | - Nicola M Anthony
- From the Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148 (Soto-Calderón, Dew, and Anthony); the Molecular Genetics Lab. (GENMOL), University of Antioquia, AA.1226, Medellín, Colombia (Soto-Calderón); the North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205 (Bergl); and the Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 (Jensen-Seaman)
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McManus KF, Kelley JL, Song S, Veeramah KR, Woerner AE, Stevison LS, Ryder OA, Ape Genome Project G, Kidd JM, Wall JD, Bustamante CD, Hammer MF. Inference of gorilla demographic and selective history from whole-genome sequence data. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 32:600-12. [PMID: 25534031 PMCID: PMC4327160 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although population-level genomic sequence data have been gathered extensively for humans, similar data from our closest living relatives are just beginning to emerge. Examination of genomic variation within great apes offers many opportunities to increase our understanding of the forces that have differentially shaped the evolutionary history of hominid taxa. Here, we expand upon the work of the Great Ape Genome Project by analyzing medium to high coverage whole-genome sequences from 14 western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), 2 eastern lowland gorillas (G. beringei graueri), and a single Cross River individual (G. gorilla diehli). We infer that the ancestors of western and eastern lowland gorillas diverged from a common ancestor approximately 261 ka, and that the ancestors of the Cross River population diverged from the western lowland gorilla lineage approximately 68 ka. Using a diffusion approximation approach to model the genome-wide site frequency spectrum, we infer a history of western lowland gorillas that includes an ancestral population expansion of 1.4-fold around 970 ka and a recent 5.6-fold contraction in population size 23 ka. The latter may correspond to a major reduction in African equatorial forests around the Last Glacial Maximum. We also analyze patterns of variation among western lowland gorillas to identify several genomic regions with strong signatures of recent selective sweeps. We find that processes related to taste, pancreatic and saliva secretion, sodium ion transmembrane transport, and cardiac muscle function are overrepresented in genomic regions predicted to have experienced recent positive selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly F McManus
- Department of Biology, Stanford University Department of Biomedical Informatics, Stanford University
| | - Joanna L Kelley
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University
| | - Shiya Song
- Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, University of Michigan
| | | | | | - Laurie S Stevison
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco
| | - Oliver A Ryder
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, Escondido, CA
| | | | - Jeffrey M Kidd
- Department of Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan
| | - Jeffrey D Wall
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco
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Senn H, Banfield L, Wacher T, Newby J, Rabeil T, Kaden J, Kitchener AC, Abaigar T, Silva TL, Maunder M, Ogden R. Splitting or lumping? A conservation dilemma exemplified by the critically endangered dama gazelle (Nanger dama). PLoS One 2014; 9:e98693. [PMID: 24956104 PMCID: PMC4067283 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Managers of threatened species often face the dilemma of whether to keep populations separate to conserve local adaptations and minimize the risk of outbreeding, or whether to manage populations jointly to reduce loss of genetic diversity and minimise inbreeding. In this study we examine genetic relatedness and diversity in three of the five last remaining wild populations of dama gazelle and a number of captive populations, using mtDNA control region and cytochrome b data. Despite the sampled populations belonging to the three putative subspecies, which are delineated according to phenotypes and geographical location, we find limited evidence for phylogeographical structure within the data and no genetic support for the putative subspecies. In the light of these data we discuss the relevance of inbreeding depression, outbreeding depression, adaptive variation, genetic drift, and phenotypic variation to the conservation of the dama gazelle and make some recommendations for its future conservation management. The genetic data suggest that the best conservation approach is to view the dama gazelle as a single species without subspecific divisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Senn
- WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Banfield
- Conservation Department, Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tim Wacher
- Conservation Programmes, Zoologicial Society of London, Regents Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - John Newby
- Sahara Conservation Fund, L'Isle, Switzerland
| | | | - Jennifer Kaden
- WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew C. Kitchener
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Institute of Geography, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Abaigar
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Almería, Spain
| | - Teresa Luísa Silva
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigção em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Almería, Spain
- Departamento de Biologia da, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mike Maunder
- College of Arts and Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Rob Ogden
- WildGenes Laboratory, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Prado-Martinez J, Hernando-Herraez I, Lorente-Galdos B, Dabad M, Ramirez O, Baeza-Delgado C, Morcillo-Suarez C, Alkan C, Hormozdiari F, Raineri E, Estellé J, Fernandez-Callejo M, Valles M, Ritscher L, Schöneberg T, de la Calle-Mustienes E, Casillas S, Rubio-Acero R, Melé M, Engelken J, Caceres M, Gomez-Skarmeta JL, Gut M, Bertranpetit J, Gut IG, Abello T, Eichler EE, Mingarro I, Lalueza-Fox C, Navarro A, Marques-Bonet T. The genome sequencing of an albino Western lowland gorilla reveals inbreeding in the wild. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:363. [PMID: 23721540 PMCID: PMC3673836 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The only known albino gorilla, named Snowflake, was a male wild born individual from Equatorial Guinea who lived at the Barcelona Zoo for almost 40 years. He was diagnosed with non-syndromic oculocutaneous albinism, i.e. white hair, light eyes, pink skin, photophobia and reduced visual acuity. Despite previous efforts to explain the genetic cause, this is still unknown. Here, we study the genetic cause of his albinism and making use of whole genome sequencing data we find a higher inbreeding coefficient compared to other gorillas. Results We successfully identified the causal genetic variant for Snowflake’s albinism, a non-synonymous single nucleotide variant located in a transmembrane region of SLC45A2. This transporter is known to be involved in oculocutaneous albinism type 4 (OCA4) in humans. We provide experimental evidence that shows that this amino acid replacement alters the membrane spanning capability of this transmembrane region. Finally, we provide a comprehensive study of genome-wide patterns of autozygogosity revealing that Snowflake’s parents were related, being this the first report of inbreeding in a wild born Western lowland gorilla. Conclusions In this study we demonstrate how the use of whole genome sequencing can be extended to link genotype and phenotype in non-model organisms and it can be a powerful tool in conservation genetics (e.g., inbreeding and genetic diversity) with the expected decrease in sequencing cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Prado-Martinez
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB, Barcelona 08003, Spain
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Simons ND, Wagner RS, Lorenz JG. Genetic diversity of North American captive-born gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Ecol Evol 2012; 3:80-8. [PMID: 23403930 PMCID: PMC3568845 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Revised: 10/03/2012] [Accepted: 10/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are designated as critically endangered and wild populations are dramatically declining as a result of habitat destruction, fragmentation, diseases (e.g., Ebola) and the illegal bushmeat trade. As wild populations continue to decline, the genetic management of the North American captive western lowland gorilla population will be an important component of the long-term conservation of the species. We genotyped 26 individuals from the North American captive gorilla collection at 11 autosomal microsatellite loci in order to compare levels of genetic diversity to wild populations, investigate genetic signatures of a population bottleneck and identify the genetic structure of the captive-born population. Captive gorillas had significantly higher levels of allelic diversity (t7 = 4.49, P = 0.002) and heterozygosity (t7 = 4.15, P = 0.004) than comparative wild populations, yet the population has lost significant allelic diversity while in captivity when compared to founders (t7 = 2.44, P = 0.04). Analyses suggested no genetic evidence for a population bottleneck of the captive population. Genetic structure results supported the management of North American captive gorillas as a single population. Our results highlight the utility of genetic management approaches for endangered nonhuman primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah D Simons
- Primate Behavior Program, Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington
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