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Schwabenlander MD, Bartz JC, Carstensen M, Fameli A, Glaser L, Larsen RJ, Li M, Shoemaker RL, Rowden G, Stone S, Walter WD, Wolf TM, Larsen PA. Prion forensics: a multidisciplinary approach to investigate CWD at an illegal deer carcass disposal site. Prion 2024; 18:72-86. [PMID: 38676289 PMCID: PMC11057675 DOI: 10.1080/19336896.2024.2343298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious prions are resistant to degradation and remain infectious in the environment for several years. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in cervids inhabiting North America, the Nordic countries, and South Korea. CWD-prion spread is partially attributed to carcass transport and disposal. We employed a forensic approach to investigate an illegal carcass dump site connected with a CWD-positive herd. We integrated anatomic, genetic, and prion amplification methods to discover CWD-positive remains from six white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and, using microsatellite markers, confirmed a portion originated from the CWD-infected herd. This approach provides a foundation for future studies of carcass prion transmission risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc D. Schwabenlander
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Jason C. Bartz
- Minnesota Center for Prion Research and Outreach, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Michelle Carstensen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Alberto Fameli
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Health Program, Forest Lake, MN, USA
| | - Linda Glaser
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Roxanne J. Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Manci Li
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Rachel L. Shoemaker
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Gage Rowden
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Suzanne Stone
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - W. David Walter
- Minnesota Board of Animal Health, Farmed Cervidae Program, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Tiffany M. Wolf
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Peter A. Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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Pearce DL, Edson JE, Jennelle CS, Walter WD. Evaluation of DNA yield from various tissue and sampling sources for use in single nucleotide polymorphism panels. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11340. [PMID: 38760358 PMCID: PMC11101418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56128-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetics studies are used by wildlife managers and researchers to gain inference into a population of a species of interest. To gain these insights, microsatellites have been the primary method; however, there currently is a shift from microsatellites to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). With the different DNA requirements between microsatellites and SNPs, an investigation into which samples can provide adequate DNA yield is warranted. Using samples that were collected from previous genetic projects from regions in the USA from 2014 to 2021, we investigated the DNA yield of eight sample categories to gain insights into which provided adequate DNA to be used in ddRADseq or already developed high- or medium-density SNP panels. We found seven sample categories that met the DNA requirements for use in all three panels, and one sample category that did not meet any of the three panels requirements; however, DNA integrity was highly variable and not all sample categories that met panel DNA requirements could be considered high quality DNA. Additionally, we used linear random-effects models to determine which covariates would have the greatest influence on DNA yield. We determined that all covariates (tissue type, storage method, preservative, DNA quality, time until DNA extraction and time after DNA extraction) could influence DNA yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Pearce
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, 413 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
- Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jessie E Edson
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, 413 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Chris S Jennelle
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 5463 West Broadway Ave., Forest Lake, MN, 55025, USA
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological and Water Resources, Nongame Wildlife Program, St Paul, MN, 55155, USA
| | - W David Walter
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, The Pennsylvania State University, 403 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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Walter WD, Fameli A, Russo‐Petrick K, Edson JE, Rosenberry CS, Schuler KL, Tonkovich MJ. Large-scale assessment of genetic structure to assess risk of populations of a large herbivore to disease. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11347. [PMID: 38774134 PMCID: PMC11106048 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) can spread among cervids by direct and indirect transmission, the former being more likely in emerging areas. Identifying subpopulations allows the delineation of focal areas to target for intervention. We aimed to assess the population structure of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the northeastern United States at a regional scale to inform managers regarding gene flow throughout the region. We genotyped 10 microsatellites in 5701 wild deer samples from Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. We evaluated the distribution of genetic variability through spatial principal component analysis and inferred genetic structure using non-spatial and spatial Bayesian clustering algorithms (BCAs). We simulated populations representing each inferred wild cluster, wild deer in each state and each physiographic province, total wild population, and a captive population. We conducted genetic assignment tests using these potential sources, calculating the probability of samples being correctly assigned to their origin. Non-spatial BCA identified two clusters across the region, while spatial BCA suggested a maximum of nine clusters. Assignment tests correctly placed deer into captive or wild origin in most cases (94%), as previously reported, but performance varied when assigning wild deer to more specific origins. Assignments to clusters inferred via non-spatial BCA performed well, but efficiency was greatly reduced when assigning samples to clusters inferred via spatial BCA. Differences between spatial BCA clusters are not strong enough to make assignment tests a reliable method for inferring the geographic origin of deer using 10 microsatellites. However, the genetic distinction between clusters may indicate natural and anthropogenic barriers of interest for management.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. David Walter
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Alberto Fameli
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kelly Russo‐Petrick
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Jessie E. Edson
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Krysten L. Schuler
- Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, New York State Wildlife Health ProgramIthacaNew YorkUSA
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Miller WL, Miller‐Butterworth CM, Diefenbach DR, Walter WD. Assessment of spatial genetic structure to identify populations at risk for infection of an emerging epizootic disease. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:3977-3990. [PMID: 32489625 PMCID: PMC7244803 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the geographic extent and connectivity of wildlife populations can provide important insights into the management of disease outbreaks but defining patterns of population structure is difficult for widely distributed species. Landscape genetic analyses are powerful methods for identifying cryptic structure and movement patterns that may be associated with spatial epizootic patterns in such cases.We characterized patterns of population substructure and connectivity using microsatellite genotypes from 2,222 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, a region where chronic wasting disease was first detected in 2009. The goal of this study was to evaluate the juxtaposition between population structure, landscape features that influence gene flow, and current disease management units.Clustering analyses identified four to five subpopulations in this region, the edges of which corresponded to ecophysiographic provinces. Subpopulations were further partitioned into 11 clusters with subtle (F ST ≤ 0.041), but significant genetic differentiation. Genetic differentiation was lower and migration rates were higher among neighboring genetic clusters, indicating an underlying genetic cline. Genetic discontinuities were associated with topographic barriers, however.Resistance surface modeling indicated that gene flow was diffuse in homogenous landscapes, but the direction and extent of gene flow were influenced by forest cover, traffic volume, and elevational relief in subregions heterogeneous for these landscape features. Chronic wasting disease primarily occurred among genetic clusters within a single subpopulation and along corridors of high landscape connectivity.These results may suggest a possible correlation between population substructure, landscape connectivity, and the occurrence of diseases for widespread species. Considering these factors may be useful in delineating effective management units, although only the largest features produced appreciable differences in subpopulation structure. Disease mitigation strategies implemented at the scale of ecophysiographic provinces are likely to be more effective than those implemented at finer scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- William L. Miller
- Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitDepartment of Ecosystem Science and ManagementIntercollege Graduate Degree Program in EcologyThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | | | - Duane R. Diefenbach
- U.S. Geological SurveyPennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | - W. David Walter
- U.S. Geological SurveyPennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
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