Genetic variability and geographic structure of three subspecies of tigers (<i>Panthera tigris</i>) based on MHC class I variation

Hendrickson, Sher L.; Mayer, Gregory C.; Wallen, Edward P.; Quigley, Kathy

doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.2000.tb00238.x

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Cracraft et al (1998) and Hendrickson et al (2000) also described genetic variation distinguishing Sumatran tigers from other tiger subspecies. The relatively high genetic variability and phylogenetic distinctiveness of Sumatran tigers suggest a historically large effective population size followed by highly restricted gene flow between the island and other populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeography and Genetic Ancestry of Tigers (Panthera tigris)

et al. 2004

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Eight traditional subspecies of tiger (Panthera tigris), of which three recently became extinct, are commonly recognized on the basis of geographic isolation and morphological characteristics. To investigate the species' evolutionary history and to establish objective methods for subspecies recognition, voucher specimens of blood, skin, hair, and/or skin biopsies from 134 tigers with verified geographic origins or heritage across the whole distribution range were examined for three molecular markers: (1) 4.0 kb of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence; (2) allele variation in the nuclear major histocompatibility complex class II DRB gene; and (3) composite nuclear microsatellite genotypes based on 30 loci. Relatively low genetic variation with mtDNA, DRB, and microsatellite loci was found, but significant population subdivision was nonetheless apparent among five living subspecies. In addition, a distinct partition of the Indochinese subspecies P. t. corbetti into northern Indochinese and Malayan Peninsula populations was discovered. Population genetic structure would suggest recognition of six taxonomic units or subspecies: (1) Amur tiger P. t. altaica; (2) northern Indochinese tiger P. t. corbetti; (3) South China tiger P. t. amoyensis; (4) Malayan tiger P. t. jacksoni, named for the tiger conservationist Peter Jackson; (5) Sumatran tiger P. t. sumatrae; and (6) Bengal tiger P. t. tigris. The proposed South China tiger lineage is tentative due to limited sampling. The age of the most recent common ancestor for tiger mtDNA was estimated to be 72,000–108,000 y, relatively younger than some other Panthera species. A combination of population expansions, reduced gene flow, and genetic drift following the last genetic diminution, and the recent anthropogenic range contraction, have led to the distinct genetic partitions. These results provide an explicit basis for subspecies recognition and will lead to the improved management and conservation of these recently isolated but distinct geographic populations of tigers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogeography and Genetic Ancestry of Tigers (Panthera tigris)

et al. 2004

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“…higher priority for breeding compared to generic zoo animals, ironically, doing so may decrease the overall genetic diversity of some species (Nowell and Jackson 1996;Hendrickson et al 2000;Uphyrkina and O'Brien 2003). If generic animals contain the genes of extinct populations, they should prove crucial for preserving the overall genetic diversity of the species.…”

Section: Implications For Ex Situ Lion Conservationmentioning

confidence: 97%

Lost populations and preserving genetic diversity in the lion Panthera leo: Implications for its ex situ conservation

et al. 2006

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“…Comparative studies in the model and non-model organisms have shown that the high levels of genetic diversity observed at the MHC of vertebrate hosts are consistent with the hypothesis of pathogen-driven balancing selection through one of two mechanisms: Frequency-dependent selection and heterozygote advantage [ 18 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Consequently, high variations at the MHC loci reflect the level of fitness that can be exploited to genetically characterize different individuals in a population [ 18 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Thus, studying the variable sites of SLA molecules in as many suid breeds as possible is important to obtain crucial information on the SLA structure and the associations between SLA alleles and valuable traits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Analysis of SLA-1, SLA-2, and DQB1 Genetic Diversity in Locally-Adapted Kenyan Pigs and Their Wild Relatives, Warthogs

Machuka

Muigai

Amimo

et al. 2021

Veterinary Sciences

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Swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) plays a central role in controlling the immune response by discriminating self and foreign antigens and initiating an immune response. Studies on SLA polymorphism have demonstrated associations between SLA allelic variants, immune response, and disease resistance. The SLA polymorphism is due to host-pathogen co-evolution resulting in improved adaptation to diverse environments making SLA a crucial genomic region for comparative diversity studies. Although locally-adapted African pigs have small body sizes, they possess increased resilience under harsh environmental conditions and robust immune systems with reported tolerance to some diseases, including African swine fever. However, data on the SLA diversity in these pigs are not available. We characterized the SLA of unrelated locally-adapted domestic pigs from Homa Bay, Kenya, alongside exotic pigs and warthogs. We undertook SLA comparative diversity of the functionally expressed SLA class I (SLA-1, SLA-2) and II (DQB1) repertoires in these three suids using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) sequence-based typing (SBT) method. Our data revealed higher genetic diversity in the locally-adapted pigs and warthogs compared to the exotic pigs. The nucleotide substitution rates were higher in the peptide-binding regions of the SLA-1, SLA-2, and DQB1 loci, indicative of adaptive evolution. We obtained high allele frequencies in the three SLA loci, including some breed-specific private alleles, which could guide breeders to increase their frequency through selection if confirmed to be associated with enhanced resilience. Our study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on genetic diversity in free-ranging animal populations in their natural environment, availing the first DQB1 gene data from locally-adapted Kenyan pigs.

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Genetic variability and geographic structure of three subspecies of tigers (Panthera tigris) based on MHC class I variation

Cited by 19 publications

References 33 publications

Phylogeography and Genetic Ancestry of Tigers (Panthera tigris)

Phylogeography and Genetic Ancestry of Tigers (Panthera tigris)

Lost populations and preserving genetic diversity in the lion Panthera leo: Implications for its ex situ conservation

Comparative Analysis of SLA-1, SLA-2, and DQB1 Genetic Diversity in Locally-Adapted Kenyan Pigs and Their Wild Relatives, Warthogs

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