Spatial and temporal patterns of neutral and adaptive genetic variation in the endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)

Deciphering patterns of genetic variation within a species is essential for understanding population structure, local adaptation and differences in diversity between populations. Whilst neutrally evolving genetic markers can be used to elucidate demographic processes and genetic structure, they are not subject to selection and therefore are not informative about patterns of adaptive variation. As such, assessments of pertinent adaptive loci, such as the immunity genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), are increasingly being incorporated into genetic studies. In this study we combined neutral (microsatellite, mtDNA) and adaptive (MHC class II DLA-DRB1 locus) markers to elucidate the factors influencing patterns of genetic variation in the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus); an endangered canid that has suffered extensive declines in distribution and abundance. Our genetic analyses found all extant wild dog populations to be relatively small (Ne < 30). Furthermore, through c...

解析物种内的遗传变异模式，对于理解种群结构、局部适应性以及种群间的多样性差异至关重要。尽管中性进化的遗传标记可用于阐明种群动态过程与遗传结构，但这类标记不受选择压力作用，因此无法反映适应性变异的模式。有鉴于此，对主要组织相容性复合体（Major Histocompatibility Complex）免疫基因这类相关适应性基因座的评估，正日益被纳入遗传学研究当中。本研究结合了中性遗传标记（微卫星、线粒体DNA（mtDNA））与适应性遗传标记（主要组织相容性复合体II类DLA-DRB1基因座），以解析影响非洲野犬（Lycaon pictus）遗传变异模式的相关因素；非洲野犬是一种曾经历分布范围与种群数量大幅缩减的濒危犬科动物。本研究的遗传分析显示，所有现存非洲野犬种群的有效种群数量（Ne）均较小（Ne < 30）。此外，通过……