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Mills KK, Hildebrandt KPB, Everson KM, Horstmann L, Misarti N, Olson LE. Ancient DNA indicates a century of overhunting did not reduce genetic diversity in Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). Sci Rep 2024; 14:8257. [PMID: 38589385 PMCID: PMC11001934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57414-2] [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: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens [Illiger 1815]) are gregarious marine mammals considered to be sentinels of the Arctic because of their dependence on sea ice for feeding, molting, and parturition. Like many other marine mammal species, their population sizes were decimated by historical overhunting in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Although they have since been protected from nearly all commercial hunting pressure, they now face rapidly accelerating habitat loss as global warming reduces the extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic. To investigate how genetic variation was impacted by overhunting, we obtained mitochondrial DNA sequences from historic Pacific Walrus samples in Alaska that predate the period of overhunting, as well as from extant populations. We found that genetic variation was unchanged over this period, suggesting Pacific Walruses are resilient to genetic attrition in response to reduced population size, and that this may be related to their high vagility and lack of population structure. Although Pacific Walruses will almost certainly continue to decline in number as the planet warms and summer sea ice is further reduced, they may be less susceptible to the ratcheting effects of inbreeding that typically accompany shrinking populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendall K Mills
- Department of Mammalogy, University of Alaska Museum, 1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
| | - Kyndall P B Hildebrandt
- Department of Mammalogy, University of Alaska Museum, 1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Kathryn M Everson
- Department of Mammalogy, University of Alaska Museum, 1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Lara Horstmann
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Nicole Misarti
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Link E Olson
- Department of Mammalogy, University of Alaska Museum, 1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
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Mohr DW, Gaughran SJ, Paschall J, Naguib A, Pang AWC, Dudchenko O, Aiden EL, Church DM, Scott AF. A Chromosome-Length Assembly of the Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi): A History of “Genetic Purging” and Genomic Stability. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13071270. [PMID: 35886053 PMCID: PMC9323584 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hawaiian monk seal (HMS) is the single extant species of tropical earless seals of the genus Neomonachus. The species survived a severe bottleneck in the late 19th century and experienced subsequent population declines until becoming the subject of a NOAA-led species recovery effort beginning in 1976 when the population was fewer than 1000 animals. Like other recovering species, the Hawaiian monk seal has been reported to have reduced genetic heterogeneity due to the bottleneck and subsequent inbreeding. Here, we report a chromosomal reference assembly for a male animal produced using a variety of methods. The final assembly consisted of 16 autosomes, an X, and portions of the Y chromosomes. We compared variants in this animal to other HMS and to a frequently sequenced human sample, confirming about 12% of the variation seen in man. To confirm that the reference animal was representative of the HMS, we compared his sequence to that of 10 other individuals and noted similarly low variation in all. Variation in the major histocompatibility (MHC) genes was nearly absent compared to the orthologous human loci. Demographic analysis predicts that Hawaiian monk seals have had a long history of small populations preceding the bottleneck, and their current low levels of heterozygosity may indicate specialization to a stable environment. When we compared our reference assembly to that of other species, we observed significant conservation of chromosomal architecture with other pinnipeds, especially other phocids. This reference should be a useful tool for future evolutionary studies as well as the long-term management of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. Mohr
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.W.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Stephen J. Gaughran
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA;
| | - Justin Paschall
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.W.M.); (J.P.)
| | - Ahmed Naguib
- Bionano Genomics, Inc., 9640 Towne Centre Dr., Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (A.N.); (A.W.C.P.)
| | - Andy Wing Chun Pang
- Bionano Genomics, Inc., 9640 Towne Centre Dr., Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (A.N.); (A.W.C.P.)
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (O.D.); (E.L.A.)
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (O.D.); (E.L.A.)
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | | | - Alan F. Scott
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; (D.W.M.); (J.P.)
- Correspondence:
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Bilgmann K, Armansin N, Ferchaud A, Normandeau E, Bernatchez L, Harcourt R, Ahonen H, Lowther A, Goldsworthy S, Stow A. Low effective population size in the genetically bottlenecked Australian sea lion is insufficient to maintain genetic variation. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Bilgmann
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
| | - N. Armansin
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
| | - A.L. Ferchaud
- Département de Biologie Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS) Université Laval Québec QC Canada
| | - E. Normandeau
- Département de Biologie Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS) Université Laval Québec QC Canada
| | - L. Bernatchez
- Département de Biologie Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS) Université Laval Québec QC Canada
| | - R. Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
| | - H. Ahonen
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
- Norwegian Polar Institute Tromsø Norway
| | | | - S.D. Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute Adelaide South Australia
| | - A. Stow
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
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Genetic and demographic history define a conservation strategy for earth's most endangered pinniped, the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:373. [PMID: 33431977 PMCID: PMC7801404 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79712-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a flagship species for marine conservation, but important aspects of its life history remain unknown. Concerns over imminent extinction motivated a nuclear DNA study of the species in its largest continuous subpopulation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Despite recent evidence of partial subpopulation recovery, we demonstrate that there is no reason for complacency, as the species still shares several traits that are characteristic of a critically endangered species: Mediterranean monk seals in the eastern Mediterranean survive in three isolated and genetically depauperate population clusters, with small effective population sizes and high levels of inbreeding. Our results indicated male philopatry over short distances, which is unexpected for a polygynous mammal. Such a pattern may be explained by the species' unique breeding behavior, in which males defend aquatic territories near breeding sites, while females are often forced to search for new pupping areas. Immediate action is necessary to reverse the downward spiral of population decline, inbreeding accumulation and loss of genetic diversity. We propose concrete conservation measures for the Mediterranean monk seal focusing on reducing anthropogenic threats, increasing the population size and genetic diversity, and thus improving the long-term prospects of survival.
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Rey-Iglesia A, Gaubert P, Espregueira Themudo G, Pires R, de la Fuente C, Freitas L, Aguilar A, Borrell A, Krakhmalnaya T, Vasconcelos R, Campos PF. Mitogenomics of the endangered Mediterranean monk seal ( Monachus monachus) reveals dramatic loss of diversity and supports historical gene-flow between Atlantic and eastern Mediterranean populations. Zool J Linn Soc 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus is one of the most threatened marine mammals, with only 600–700 individuals restricted to three populations off the coast of Western Sahara and Madeira (North Atlantic) and between Greece and Turkey (eastern Mediterranean). Its original range was from the Black Sea (eastern Mediterranean) to Gambia (western African coast), but was drastically reduced by commercial hunting and human persecution since the early stages of marine exploitation.
We here analyse 42 mitogenomes of Mediterranean monk seals, from across their present and historical geographic ranges to assess the species population dynamics over time. Our data show a decrease in genetic diversity in the last 200 years. Extant individuals presented an almost four-fold reduction in genetic diversity when compared to historical specimens. We also detect, for the first time, a clear segregation between the two North Atlantic populations, Madeira and Cabo Blanco, regardless of their geographical proximity. Moreover, we show the presence of historical gene-flow between the two water basins, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and the presence of at least one extinct maternal lineage in the Mediterranean. Our work demonstrates the advantages of using full mitogenomes in phylogeographic and conservation genomic studies of threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Rey-Iglesia
- Centre for Geogenetics, Natural History Museum Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Philippe Gaubert
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UPS/CNRS/IRD, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
- CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Espregueira Themudo
- CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Rosa Pires
- Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza, IP-RAM, Jardim Botânico da Madeira - Eng.º Rui Vieira, Caminho do Meio, Bom Sucesso, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Constanza de la Fuente
- Centre for Geogenetics, Natural History Museum Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Luís Freitas
- Museu da Baleia da Madeira, Rua da Pedra D’Eira, Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Alex Aguilar
- IRBio and Department of Evolutive Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Asunción Borrell
- IRBio and Department of Evolutive Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tatiana Krakhmalnaya
- National Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Raquel Vasconcelos
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Paula F Campos
- Centre for Geogenetics, Natural History Museum Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, Matosinhos, Portugal
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Mihnovets AN, Schultz JK, Wultsch C, Littnan CL, Amato G. A novel microsatellite multiplex assay for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi). CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s12686-016-0517-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Nyman T, Valtonen M, Aspi J, Ruokonen M, Kunnasranta M, Palo JU. Demographic histories and genetic diversities of Fennoscandian marine and landlocked ringed seal subspecies. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:3420-34. [PMID: 25535558 PMCID: PMC4228616 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Island populations are on average smaller, genetically less diverse, and at a higher risk to go extinct than mainland populations. Low genetic diversity may elevate extinction probability, but the genetic component of the risk can be affected by the mode of diversity loss, which, in turn, is connected to the demographic history of the population. Here, we examined the history of genetic erosion in three Fennoscandian ringed seal subspecies, of which one inhabits the Baltic Sea 'mainland' and two the 'aquatic islands' composed of Lake Saimaa in Finland and Lake Ladoga in Russia. Both lakes were colonized by marine seals after their formation c. 9500 years ago, but Lake Ladoga is larger and more contiguous than Lake Saimaa. All three populations suffered dramatic declines during the 20th century, but the bottleneck was particularly severe in Lake Saimaa. Data from 17 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial control-region sequences show that Saimaa ringed seals have lost most of the genetic diversity present in their Baltic ancestors, while the Ladoga population has experienced only minor reductions. Using Approximate Bayesian computing analyses, we show that the genetic uniformity of the Saimaa subspecies derives from an extended founder event and subsequent slow erosion, rather than from the recent bottleneck. This suggests that the population has persisted for nearly 10,000 years despite having low genetic variation. The relatively high diversity of the Ladoga population appears to result from a high number of initial colonizers and a high post-colonization population size, but possibly also by a shorter isolation period and/or occasional gene flow from the Baltic Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommi Nyman
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern FinlandPO Box 111, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland
- Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107Zurich, CH-8008, Switzerland
| | - Mia Valtonen
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern FinlandPO Box 111, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland
| | - Jouni Aspi
- Department of Biology, University of OuluPO Box 3000, Oulu, FI-90014, Finland
| | - Minna Ruokonen
- Department of Biology, University of OuluPO Box 3000, Oulu, FI-90014, Finland
| | - Mervi Kunnasranta
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern FinlandPO Box 111, Joensuu, FI-80101, Finland
| | - Jukka U Palo
- Laboratory of Forensic Biology, Hjelt Institute, University of HelsinkiPO Box 40, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland
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Isolation and cross-species amplification of novel microsatellite loci in a charismatic marine mammal species, the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s12686-012-9741-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Hoffman JI, Nichols HJ. A novel approach for mining polymorphic microsatellite markers in silico. PLoS One 2011; 6:e23283. [PMID: 21853104 PMCID: PMC3154332 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
An important emerging application of high-throughput 454 sequencing is the isolation of molecular markers such as microsatellites from genomic DNA. However, few studies have developed microsatellites from cDNA despite the added potential for targeting candidate genes. Moreover, to develop microsatellites usually requires the evaluation of numerous primer pairs for polymorphism in the focal species. This can be time-consuming and wasteful, particularly for taxa with low genetic diversity where the majority of primers often yield monomorphic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. Transcriptome assemblies provide a convenient solution, functional annotation of transcripts allowing markers to be targeted towards candidate genes, while high sequence coverage in principle permits the assessment of variability in silico. Consequently, we evaluated fifty primer pairs designed to amplify microsatellites, primarily residing within transcripts related to immunity and growth, identified from an Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) transcriptome assembly. In silico visualization was used to classify each microsatellite as being either polymorphic or monomorphic and to quantify the number of distinct length variants, each taken to represent a different allele. The majority of loci (n = 36, 76.0%) yielded interpretable PCR products, 23 of which were polymorphic in a sample of 24 fur seal individuals. Loci that appeared variable in silico were significantly more likely to yield polymorphic PCR products, even after controlling for microsatellite length measured in silico. We also found a significant positive relationship between inferred and observed allele number. This study not only demonstrates the feasibility of generating modest panels of microsatellites targeted towards specific classes of gene, but also suggests that in silico microsatellite variability may provide a useful proxy for PCR product polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
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Schultz JK, Becker BL, Johanos TC, Lopez JU, Kashinsky L. Dizygotic twinning in the Hawaiian monk seal. J Mammal 2011. [DOI: 10.1644/10-mamm-a-275.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Schultz JK, Baker JD, Toonen RJ, Harting AL, Bowen BW. Range-wide genetic connectivity of the Hawaiian monk seal and implications for translocation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2011; 25:124-132. [PMID: 21166713 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01615.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is one of the most critically endangered marine mammals. Less than 1200 individuals remain, and the species is declining at a rate of approximately 4% per year as a result of juvenile starvation, shark predation, and entanglement in marine debris. Some of these problems may be alleviated by translocation; however, if island breeding aggregates are effectively isolated subpopulations, moving individuals may disrupt local adaptations. In these circumstances, managers must balance the pragmatic need of increasing survival with theoretical concerns about genetic viability. To assess range-wide population structure of the Hawaiian monk seal, we examined an unprecedented, near-complete genetic inventory of the species (n =1897 seals, sampled over 14 years) at 18 microsatellite loci. Genetic variation was not spatially partitioned ((w) =-0.03, p = 1.0), and a Bayesian clustering method provided evidence of one panmictic population (K =1). Pairwise F(ST) comparisons (among 7 island aggregates over 14 annual cohorts) did not reveal temporally stable, spatial reproductive isolation. Our results coupled with long-term tag-resight data confirm seal movement and gene flow throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago. Thus, human-mediated translocation of seals among locations is not likely to result in genetic incompatibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Schultz
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, U.S.A.
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Osborne AJ, Brauning R, Schultz JK, Kennedy MA, Slate J, Gemmell NJ. Development of a predicted physical map of microsatellite locus positions for pinnipeds, with wider applicability to the Carnivora. Mol Ecol Resour 2010; 11:503-13. [PMID: 21481208 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2010.02962.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding genetic variation responsible for phenotypic differences in natural populations is significantly hampered by a lack of genomic data for many species. Levels of variation can, however, be estimated using microsatellite markers, which may be useful for relating individual fitness to genetic diversity. Prior studies have demonstrated correlations between heterozygosity and individual fitness in some species. These correlations are sometimes driven by a subset of markers, and it is unclear whether this is because those markers best reflect genome-wide heterozygosity, or whether they are linked to fitness-related genes. Differentiating between these scenarios is hindered when the genomic location of markers is unknown. Here, we develop a predicted genomic map of pinniped microsatellite loci based on conservation of primary sequence and genomic location between dog, cat and giant panda. We mapped 210 of 260 (81%) microsatellites from pinnipeds to locations in dog, cat and giant panda genomes. Based on the demonstrable synteny between the genomes of closely related taxa within the Carnivora, we use these data to identify those microsatellites with the greatest chance of cross-species amplification success and demonstrate successful amplification of 21 of 26 loci for cat, dog and two seal species. We also demonstrate the potential to identify candidate genes that may underpin the functional relationship with individual fitness. Overall, we show that this approach provides a rapid and robust method to elucidate genome organisation for nonmodel organisms and have established a resource that facilitates further genetic research on pinnipeds that also has wider applicability to other carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J Osborne
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Centre for Reproduction and Genomics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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