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Zhang K, Karim F, Jin Z, Xiao H, Yao Y, Ni Q, Li B, Pu-Cuo W, Huang Z, Xu H. Diet and feeding behavior of a group of high-altitude rhesus macaques: high adaptation to food shortages and seasonal fluctuations. Curr Zool 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Diet and feeding behavior data are crucial to a deep understanding of the behavioral response and adaptation of primates to a high-altitude environment. From August 2019 to June 2021, we collected data on the feeding behavior of a high-altitude rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta group from Yajiang County, Western Sichuan Plateau, which has an altitude of over 3,500 m. The results showed that feeding (33.0 ± 1.8%) and moving (28.3 ± 2.6%) were the dominant behavior of rhesus macaques. Macaques ate 193 food items, comprising 11 food categories from 90 species. Our study found that plant roots (30.9±30.1%) and young leaves (28.0±33.1%) were the main foods eaten by macaques. The preferred foods of rhesus macaques were young leaves, fruits and seeds, and the consumption of these items was positively correlated with its food availability. When the availability of preferred foods was low, macaques took plant roots, barks and fallen leaves as fallback foods. In particular, roots were a dominant food item in winter, and this way of feeding became a key survival strategy. Our results suggest that, facing the relative scarcity and strong seasonal fluctuations of food resources in high-altitude habitat, macaques adopt active foraging strategies, relying on a variety of food species and adjusting flexibly their food choices based on food availability, which may help to maximize the energy efficiency of high-altitude macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kechu Zhang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014 , Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guiling 541006 , Guangxi, China
| | - Fazal Karim
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014 , Sichuan, China
| | - Zuxiang Jin
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014 , Sichuan, China
| | - Hongtao Xiao
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014 , Sichuan, China
| | - Yongfang Yao
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014 , Sichuan, China
| | - Qingyong Ni
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130 , Sichuan, China
| | - Bajin Li
- Gexigou National Nature Reserve Administration, Yajiang Forestry and Grassland Administration , Ganzi 627450, Sichuan, China
| | - Wangjia Pu-Cuo
- Gexigou National Nature Reserve Administration, Yajiang Forestry and Grassland Administration , Ganzi 627450, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhonghao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guiling 541006 , Guangxi, China
| | - Huailiang Xu
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014 , Sichuan, China
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Exploring ecological specialization in pipefish using genomic, morphometric and ecological evidence. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
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Khanal L, Chalise MK, He K, Acharya BK, Kawamoto Y, Jiang X. Mitochondrial DNA analyses and ecological niche modeling reveal post-LGM expansion of the Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis) in the foothills of Nepal Himalaya. Am J Primatol 2018. [PMID: 29536562 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Genetic diversity of a species is influenced by multiple factors, including the Quaternary glacial-interglacial cycles and geophysical barriers. Such factors are not yet well documented for fauna from the southern border of the Himalayan region. This study used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences and ecological niche modeling (ENM) to explore how the late Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and complex geography of the Himalayan region have shaped genetic diversity, population genetic structure, and demographic history of the Nepalese population of Assam macaques (Macaca assamensis) in the Himalayan foothills. A total of 277 fecal samples were collected from 39 wild troops over almost the entire distribution of the species in Nepal. The mtDNA fragment encompassing the complete control region (1121 bp) was recovered from 208 samples, thus defining 54 haplotypes. Results showed low nucleotide diversity (0.0075 ± SD 0.0001) but high haplotype diversity (0.965 ± SD 0.004). The mtDNA sequences revealed a shallow population genetic structure with a moderate but statistically significant effect of isolation by distance. Demographic history analyses using mtDNA sequences suggested a post-pleistocene population expansion. Paleodistribution reconstruction projected that the potential habitat of the Assam macaque was confined to the lower elevations of central Nepal during the Last Glacial Maximum. With the onset of the Holocene climatic optimum, the glacial refugia population experienced eastward range expansion to higher elevations. We conclude that the low genetic diversity and shallow population genetic structure of the Assam macaque population in the Nepal Himalaya region are the consequence of recent demographic and spatial expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxman Khanal
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P.R. China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P.R. China.,Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Mukesh K Chalise
- Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Kai He
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P.R. China
| | - Bipin K Acharya
- Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yoshi Kawamoto
- Department of Evolution and Phylogeny, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Xuelong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, P.R. China.,State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, P.R. China
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Characterization of major histocompatibility complex class I, and class II DRB loci of captive and wild Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca). Genetica 2017; 145:541-558. [DOI: 10.1007/s10709-017-9979-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Zhang X, Lin W, Zhou R, Gui D, Yu X, Wu Y. Low Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Variation in the Endangered Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis): Inferences About the Role of Balancing Selection. J Hered 2016; 107:143-52. [PMID: 26787544 PMCID: PMC5994972 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been widely reported that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is under balancing selection due to its immune function across terrestrial and aquatic mammals. The comprehensive studies at MHC and other neutral loci could give us a synthetic evaluation about the major force determining genetic diversity of species. Previously, a low level of genetic diversity has been reported among the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) using both mitochondrial marker and microsatellite loci. Here, the expression and sequence polymorphism of 2 MHC class II genes (DQB and DRB) in 32 S. chinensis from PRE collected between 2003 and 2011 were investigated. High ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous substitution rates, codon-based selection analysis, and trans-species polymorphism (TSP) support the hypothesis that balancing selection acted on S. chinensis MHC sequences. However, only 2 haplotypes were detected at either DQB or DRB loci. Moreover, the lack of deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg expectation at DRB locus combined with the relatively low heterozygosity at both DQB locus and microsatellite loci suggested that balancing selection might not be sufficient, which further suggested that genetic drift associated with historical bottlenecks was not mitigated by balancing selection in terms of the loss of MHC and neutral variation in S. chinensis. The combined results highlighted the importance of maintaining the genetic diversity of the endangered S. chinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wenzhi Lin
- *These authors contributed equally to the work
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Azevedo L, Serrano C, Amorim A, Cooper DN. Trans-species polymorphism in humans and the great apes is generally maintained by balancing selection that modulates the host immune response. Hum Genomics 2015; 9:21. [PMID: 26337052 PMCID: PMC4559023 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-015-0043-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Known examples of ancient identical-by-descent genetic variants being shared between evolutionarily related species, known as trans-species polymorphisms (TSPs), result from counterbalancing selective forces acting on target genes to confer resistance against infectious agents. To date, putative TSPs between humans and other primate species have been identified for the highly polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC), the histo-blood ABO group, two antiviral genes (ZC3HAV1 and TRIM5), an autoimmunity-related gene LAD1 and several non-coding genomic segments with a putative regulatory role. Although the number of well-characterized TSPs under long-term balancing selection is still very small, these examples are connected by a common thread, namely that they involve genes with key roles in the immune system and, in heterozygosity, appear to confer genetic resistance to pathogens. Here, we review known cases of shared polymorphism that appear to be under long-term balancing selection in humans and the great apes. Although the specific selective agent(s) responsible are still unknown, these TSPs may nevertheless be seen as constituting important adaptive events that have occurred during the evolution of the primate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Azevedo
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Catarina Serrano
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Antonio Amorim
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
| | - David N Cooper
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK.
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Yao YF, Dai QX, Li J, Ni QY, Zhang MW, Xu HL. Genetic diversity and differentiation of the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) population in western Sichuan, China, based on the second exon of the major histocompatibility complex class II DQB (MhcMamu-DQB1) alleles. BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:130. [PMID: 24930092 PMCID: PMC4070090 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-14-130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhesus macaques living in western Sichuan, China, have been separated into several isolated populations due to habitat fragmentation. Previous studies based on the neutral or nearly neutral markers (mitochondrial DNA or microsatellites) showed high levels of genetic diversity and moderate genetic differentiation in the Sichuan rhesus macaques. Variation at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci is widely accepted as being maintained by balancing selection, even with a low level of neutral variability in some species. However, in small and isolated or bottlenecked populations, balancing selection may be overwhelmed by genetic drift. To estimate microevolutionary forces acting on the isolated rhesus macaque populations, we examined genetic variation at Mhc-DQB1 loci in 119 wild rhesus macaques from five geographically isolated populations in western Sichuan, China, and compared the levels of MHC variation and differentiation among populations with that previously observed at neutral microsatellite markers. RESULTS 23 Mamu-DQB1 alleles were identified in 119 rhesus macaques in western Sichuan, China. These macaques exhibited relatively high levels of genetic diversity at Mamu-DQB1. The Hanyuan population presented the highest genetic variation, whereas the Heishui population was the lowest. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and pairwise FST values showed moderate genetic differentiation occurring among the five populations at the Mhc-DQB1 locus. Non-synonymous substitutions occurred at a higher frequency than synonymous substitutions in the peptide binding region. Levels of MHC variation within rhesus macaque populations are concordant with microsatellite variation. On the phylogenetic tree for the rhesus and crab-eating macaques, extensive allele or allelic lineage sharing is observed between the two species. CONCLUSIONS Phylogenetic analyses confirm the apparent trans-species model of evolution of the Mhc-DQB1 genes in these macaques. Balancing selection plays an important role in sharing allelic lineages between species, but genetic drift may share balancing selection dominance to maintain MHC diversity. Great divergence at neutral or adaptive markers showed that moderate genetic differentiation had occurred in rhesus macaque populations in western Sichuan, China, due to the habitat fragmentation caused by long-term geographic barriers and human activity. The Heishui population should be paid more attention for its lowest level of genetic diversity and relatively great divergence from others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Fang Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya´an 625014, China
| | - Qiu-Xia Dai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya´an 625014, China
| | - Jing Li
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Qing-Yong Ni
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya´an 625014, China
| | - Ming-Wang Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya´an 625014, China
| | - Huai-Liang Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya´an 625014, China
- Experimental Animal Engineering Center/National Experimental Macaque Reproduce Laboratory, Sichuan Agricultural Universiy, Ya′an 625014, China
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