The mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure of Myotis capaccinii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Eurasian transition, and its taxonomic implications

Discordance in maternal and paternal genetic markers in lesser long-nosed bat Leptonycteris yerbabuenae, a migratory bat: recent expansion to the North and male phylopatry

Leptonycteris yerbabuenae, the lesser long-nosed bat is an abundant migratory nectar-feeding bat found in most of Mexico, and in some areas of northern Central America and small sections of southwestern USA. We analyzed the distribution of the maternal and paternal lineages of this species with phylogeographic methods based on two mitochondrial markers, Cyt-b and D-loop, and a marker located in the Y chromosome, DBY. We obtained tissue samples from 220 individuals from 23 localities. Levels of genetic diversity (haplotype diversity, Hd ) were high (Cyt-b = 0.757; D-loop = 0.8082; DBY = 0.9137). No clear patterns of population genetic structure were found for mitochondrial markers, while male genetic differentiation suggested the presence of two lineages: one from Mexican Pacific coast states and another from central-southern Mexico; in accordance to strong male philopatry and higher female migration. We used genealogical reconstructions based on Bayesian tools to calculate divergence times, and to test coalescent models to explain changes in L. yerbabuenae historical demography. Our results show that recent demographic changes were consistent with global climatic changes (∼130,000 kyr ago for Cyt-b and ∼160,000 kyr for D-loop) and divergence times dated from molecular genealogies exhibited older divergence times, Cyt-b (4.03 mya), D-loop (10.26 mya) and DBY (12.23 mya). Accordingly, the female lineage underwent demographic expansion associated to Pleistocene climate change, whereas the male lineage remained constant.

Lack of intraspecific variations of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene in the greater mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma microphyllum (Chiroptera: Rhinopomatidae) in Iran

Rhinopoma microphyllum is one of the species of bats that lives in arid and semi-arid areas of Iran. The initial suggestion of the presence of two subspecies R. m. microphyllum and R. m. harrisoni based on their morphological characteristics has been questioned on the basis of small differences between the populations. Later, other researchers assigned Iranian populations of this species to one or two subspecies based on their morphological and molecular characteristics. The present study provides a phylogeographical analysis of this species using 687 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b in 81 bats in Iran, Jordan, Levant and Ethiopia. Based on mtDNA sequences, we found a low degree of genetic diversity in the Iranian populations of R. microphyllum (π = 0.0025), which shows a close relationship between the haplotypes. The analysis of genetic distance (0.15-1.93%), phylogenetic trees, and statistical parsimony network showed that all Iranian samples were grouped in the same clade, while Levant, Jordan and Ethiopian samples belonged to a different clade. Molecular dating suggested the Iranian R. microphyllum lineage split from the R. microphyllum of the Levant and Jordan clade during the Pliocene 3.18 (2.11-4.32 Ma). Taking these results into consideration, we can conclude that all Iranian specimens belong to the same subspecies as R. m. harrisoni since molecular results indicate that Iranian samples are differ from Levant subspecies (R. m. microphyllum).

Mitogenomic analysis in European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) proposes genetic and functional differentiation between the distinct lineages

European brown hare is a small game species spreading across Europe to Asia Minor, with important economic traits. Population genetics studies using mitochondrial DNA markers have revealed the existence of two major phylogeographic lineages, the European and the Anatolian. European lineage is further divided in the European type halpogroup and south-eastern European type halpogroup, while Anatolian consists only by the Anatolian/Middle Eastern type halpogroup. All three haplogroups show a discrete geographical distribution, with an overlapping zone forming in North-East Greece and Bulgaria, forming a contact zone. Despite the existence of a contact zone, European haplotype was never detected in Anatolia and vice versa, proposing the presence of genetic barriers responsible for this phenomenon. In this study, we analyzed the whole mitochondrial genomes of specimens originating from both lineages, aiming to detect the genetic and functional differentiation of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes that are encoded by mtDNA that could lead gradually to the reproductive isolation of the lineages.

SNP Identification through Transcriptome Analysis of the European Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus): Cellular Energetics and Mother's Curse

The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus, Pallas 1778) is an important small game species in Europe. Due to its size and position in the food chain, as well as its life history, phenotypic variation and the relatively recent speciation events, brown hare plays an important role in the structure of various ecosystems and has emerged as an important species for population management and evolutionary studies. In order to identify informative SNPs for such studies, heart and liver tissues of three samples from the European lineage and a three-sample pool from the Anatolian lineage were subjected to RNA-Sequencing analysis. This effort resulted in 9496 well-assembled protein-coding sequences with close homology to human. After applying very stringent filtering criteria, 66185 polymorphic sites were identified in 7665 genes/cds and 2050 of those polymorphic sites are potentially capable of distinguishing the European from the Anatolian lineage. From these distinguishing mutations we focused on those in genes that are involved in cellular energy production, namely the glycolysis, Krebs cycle and the OXPHOS machinery. A selected set of SNPs was also validated by Sanger sequencing. By simulating the three European individuals as one pool, no substantial informative-SNP identification was lost, making it a cost-efficient approach. To our knowledge this is the first attempt to correlate the differentiation in both nuclear and mitochondrial genome between the two different lineages of L. europaeus with the observed spatial partitioning of the lineages of the species, proposing a possible mechanism that is maintaining the reproductive isolation of the lineages.

Range-Wide Genetic Analysis of Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus) Populations: Estimating the Risk of Spread of White-Nose Syndrome

The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) is one of the most widespread bat species in North America and is experiencing severe population declines because of an emerging fungal disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS). To manage and conserve this species effectively it is important to understand patterns of gene flow and population connectivity to identify possible barriers to disease transmission. However, little is known about the population genetic structure of little brown bats, and to date, no studies have investigated population structure across their entire range. We examined mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellites in 637 little brown bats (including all currently recognized subspecific lineages) from 29 locations across North America, to assess levels of genetic variation and population differentiation across the range of the species, including areas affected by WNS and those currently unaffected. We identified considerable spatial variation in patterns of female dispersal and significant genetic variation between populations in eastern versus western portions of the range. Overall levels of nuclear genetic differentiation were low, and there is no evidence for any major barriers to gene flow across their range. However, patterns of mtDNA differentiation are highly variable, with high ΦST values between most sample pairs (including between all western samples, between western and eastern samples, and between some eastern samples), while low mitochondrial differentiation was observed within two groups of samples found in central and eastern regions of North America. Furthermore, the Alaskan population was highly differentiated from all others, and western populations were characterized by isolation by distance while eastern populations were not. These data raise the possibility that the current patterns of spread of WNS observed in eastern North America may not apply to the entire range and that there may be broad-scale spatial variation in the risk of WNS transmission and occurrence if the disease continues to spread west.

Genetic approaches to the conservation of migratory bats: a study of the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)

Documented fatalities of bats at wind turbines have raised serious concerns about the future impacts of increased wind power development on populations of migratory bat species. However, for most bat species we have no knowledge of the size of populations and their demographic trends, the degree of structuring into discrete subpopulations, and whether different subpopulations use spatially segregated migratory routes. Here, we utilize genetic data from eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis), one of the species most highly affected by wind power development in North America, to (1) evaluate patterns of population structure across the landscape, (2) estimate effective population size (Ne ), and (3) assess signals of growth or decline in population size. Using data on both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variation, we demonstrate that this species forms a single, panmictic population across their range with no evidence for the historical use of divergent migratory pathways by any portion of the population. Further, using coalescent estimates we estimate that the effective size of this population is in the hundreds of thousands to millions of individuals. The high levels of gene flow and connectivity across the population of eastern red bats indicate that monitoring and management of eastern red bats must integrate information across the range of this species.

Back to the suture: the distribution of intraspecific genetic diversity in and around anatolia

The effect of ice ages in speciation and diversification is well established in the literature. In Europe, the Iberian, the Italian and the Balkan peninsulas comprise the main glacial refugia, where the subsequent re-population of Europe started. Though not studied as extensively, Anatolia has also been hinted to be a potential glacial refugium for Europe, and with its proximity to the Caucasus and the Middle East at the same time, has potential to exhibit high levels of intraspecific diversity. The more ubiquitous use and cheaper availability of molecular methods globally now makes it possible to better understand molecular ecology and evolution of the fauna and flora in the genetically understudied regions of the world, such as Anatolia. In this review, the molecular genetic studies undertaken in Anatolia in the last decade, for 29 species of plants and animals, are examined to determine general phylogeographic patterns. In this regard, two major patterns are observed and defined, showing genetic breaks within Anatolia and between Anatolia and the Balkans. A third pattern is also outlined, which suggests Anatolia may be a center of diversity for the surrounding regions. The patterns observed are discussed in terms of their relevance to the location of suture zones, postglacial expansion scenarios, the effect of geographic barriers to gene flow and divergence time estimates, in order to better understand the effect of the geological history of Anatolia on the evolutionary history of the inhabitant species. In view of the current state of knowledge delineated in the review, future research directions are suggested.