Study of MHC gene diversity in Landlocked Seals of genus Pusa

The project is part of a study of the genetic diversity of Caspian (Pusa caspica) and Baikal (Pusa sibirica) seals, which inhabit brackish and freshwater enclosed waters, respectively. The populations of these species have existed for a long time in isolation and at the same time in ecological conditions significantly different from those in which their ancestors lived in the open sea. Such conditions also imply a specific spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms that these seals encounter. At the same time, the formation of the allelic complex of MHC genes should also be significantly influenced by genetic drift manifested in isolated groups of animals.