Evaluation of genetic variability in the collared peccary Pecari tajacu and the white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari by microsatellite markers

Abstract

In this study, the microsatellite technique was used to evaluate the genetic variability in populations of collared and white-lipped peccaries kept in captivity. Six primers developed for domestic pigs were used and amplified in both species. They revealed the presence of five polymorphic loci and one monomorphic locus. The polymorphic loci included 4 of the 16 alleles in collared peccaries, and 3 of the 10 alleles in the white-lipped peccaries. Polymorphic information content (PIC) in both species and all the loci was highly informative. The probability of paternity exclusion (PEC), if one of the parents is known, was almost as high in white-lipped peccaries (95.53%) as in the collared (99,48%). The Fst values for collared (0.042) and white-lipped (0.1387) peccaries showed that both populations are not structured. The Fis values for all loci, except ACTG2 in white-lipped peccaries (-0.0275) and in both species (0.1985 to 0.9284 in collared peccaries and 0.3621 to 0.4754 in the white-lipped), revealed a high level of homozygosis, probably caused by inbreeding. Data on heterologous amplification and genetic variability in collared and white-lipped peccaries are presented for the first time.

Genetic diversity and relatedness in captive collared peccaries Dicotyles tajacu (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cetartiodactyla: Tayassuidae) estimated by microsatellite genotyping using high‐throughput sequencing: Implications for their conservation and reintroduction

“…The average allele per locus found in this study was higher than that reported for a group of captive-collared peccaries, with five individuals, in which the average allele recorded for nine microsatellite loci was 3.2 (Vecchia et al, 2011). This is lower than that described for 49 captive-collared peccaries, with an average of 10.2 alleles for five analyzed loci (Silva et al, 2010). Of the five loci used in this study, four were also used by Vecchia et al (2011); however, TPEC10 and TPEC12 were more polymorphic in our study, which may have caused this difference in the average number of alleles per locus.…”

“…The average heterozygosity observed was similar to that found for 32 collared peccaries in captivity (Ho = 0.733;Biondo et al, 2014), and higher than that obtained for three natural populations of collared peccaries from Texas (United States) (Ho = 0.61;Cooper et al, 2010) and for 49 captive collared peccaries in the state of Paraná (Brazil) (Ho = 0.3552;Silva et al, 2010). A possible explanation for the high genetic diversity found in the group of collared peccaries studied may be the varied origins of the founding individuals of the population at Engenho D'Água Farm.…”

“…Although D. tajacu has not yet been cited on the National List of Threatened Species in some states of Brazil, it is considered endangered in certain regions (Desbiez et al, 2012;ICMBIO -Instituto Chico Mendes de Biodiversidade, 2008; MMA -Ministério do Meio Ambiente, 2021), including the state of Minas Gerais (COPAM-Conselho Estadual de Política Ambiental, 2010). Some molecular studies have been conducted with D. tajacu to understand the sex-biased dispersal of this species (Cooper et al, 2010), how relatedness influences the social structure of collared peccaries (Biondo et al, 2014), how sexual monomorphism influences reproduction (Cooper et al, 2011), and to assess the genetic diversity of a captive collared peccary population (Silva et al, 2010). However, the present study is the first molecular study developed with D. tajacu that is part of a conservation program.…”

“…Some molecular studies have been conducted with D. tajacu to understand the sex‐biased dispersal of this species (Cooper et al, 2010), how relatedness influences the social structure of collared peccaries (Biondo et al, 2014), how sexual monomorphism influences reproduction (Cooper et al, 2011), and to assess the genetic diversity of a captive collared peccary population (Silva et al, 2010). However, the present study is the first molecular study developed with D. tajacu that is part of a conservation program.…”

Heterologous microsatellite primers are informative for paca (Cuniculus paca), a large rodent with economic and ecological importance

“…The ability to use heterologous primers developed for a closely related species has removed limits when species-specific primers are lacking and allowed researchers to quickly expand studies to new species [ 19 , 20 ]. Cross-amplification has been applied several times at the interface of domestic and free-ranging animals, including the application of domestic cat microsatellite primers to wild cats [ 11 ], canid-specific gender identification primers to bush dogs [ 21 , 22 ], and domestic pig microsatellite primers to wild peccary [ 23 ].…”