Interspecific microsatellite markers for the study of pinniped populations

Gemmell, Neil J.; Allen, P. J.; Goodman, Simon J.; Reed, Jane Z.

doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.1997.00235.x

Cited by 99 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…This was not surprising since male 36 is the son of male 7. Before accepting the CERVUS assignment result in this case, we further genotyped these four individuals at two X-linked loci (Lw-18; Davis et al 2002 and Pv 17;Gemmell et al 1997). Paternal alleles being necessarily transmitted to the female progeny, we were able to determine that 7 is the true father as 36 could not have contributed the paternal allele at either X-linked locus.…”

Section: Parentage and Pedigree Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

History and fate of a small isolated population of Weddell seals at White Island, Antarctica

et al. 2009

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Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii Lesson) at White Island, Antarctica form a small, completely enclosed, natural population hypothesized to be of recent origin, likely founded by individuals from nearby Erebus Bay. This population constitutes an ideal model to document a founder event and ensuing genetic drift, with implications for conservation. Here we combined historical accounts, census and tagging data since the late 1960s, and genetic data (41 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA sequences) from 84 individuals representing nearly all individuals present between 1990 and 2000 to investigate the history of the founding of the White Island population, document its population dynamics and evaluate possible future threats. We fully resolved parental relationships over three overlapping generations. Cytonuclear disequilibrium among the first generation suggested that it comprised the direct descendants of a founding group. We estimated that the White Island population was founded by a small group of individuals that accessed the island during a brief break in the surrounding sea ice in the mid-1950s, consistent with historical accounts. Direct and indirect methods of calculating effective population size were highly congruent and suggested a minimum founding group consisting of three females and two males. The White Island population showed altered reproductive dynamics compared to Erebus Bay, including highly skewed sex ratio, documented inbred mating events, and the oldest known reproducing Weddell seals. A comparison with the putative source population showed that the White Island population has an effective inbreeding coefficient (F e ) of 0.29. Based on a pedigree analysis including the hypothesized founding group, 86% of the individuals for whom parents were known had inbreeding coefficients ranging 0.09-0.31. This high level of inbreeding was correlated with reduced pup survival. Seals at White Island therefore face the combined effects of low genetic variability, lack of immigration, and inbreeding depression. Ultimately, this study provides evidence of the effects of natural isolation on a large, long-lived vertebrate and can provide clues to the potential effects of anthropogenic-caused isolation of similar taxa.

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Section: Parentage and Pedigree Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

History and fate of a small isolated population of Weddell seals at White Island, Antarctica

et al. 2009

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“…We considered 94 published pinniped microsatellite primers (Allen, 1995;Allen et al, 1995;Coltman et al, 1996;Gemmell et al, 1997;Goodman, 1997Goodman, , 1998Buchanan et al, 1998;Davis et al, 2002;HernandezVelaquez et al, 2005;Hayes et al, 2006;Hoffman et al, 2006;Wolf et al, 2006). Of these, 38 had previously been tested on four harbour seals from Scotland and were dismissed because they were either monomorphic or failed to amplify.…”

Section: Microsatellite Locus Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterozygosity and lungworm burden in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

et al. 2008

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“…Kretzmann et al [20] describe only three mitochondrial haplotypes in 50 individuals. Gemmell et al [21] survey 18 pinnipeds at 20 microsatellite loci and find the Hawaiian monk seal to have the lowest genetic diversity, with only three polymorphic loci. Its genetic diversity is even lower than that of the Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus, polymorphic at 12 loci), of which only ~400 individuals remain [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gemmell et al [21] survey 18 pinnipeds at 20 microsatellite loci and find the Hawaiian monk seal to have the lowest genetic diversity, with only three polymorphic loci. Its genetic diversity is even lower than that of the Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus, polymorphic at 12 loci), of which only ~400 individuals remain [21]. Schultz et al [22] identify only seven variable microsatellite loci of 143 isolated from the Hawaiian monk seal genome.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genome-Wide Loss of Diversity in the Critically Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal

Schultz

Marshall

Pfunder³

2010

Diversity

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Threatened species often exhibit low genetic diversity as a result of selective sweeps, historical bottlenecks, or persistent small population size. Whereas selective sweeps create localized reduction of variation at a chromosome, population bottlenecks result in the loss of rare alleles throughout the genome. Heterozygosity is lost more slowly and is severely impacted only when populations are small for an extended period of time. We test the hypotheses of selective sweep, historical bottleneck and persistently small population size to explain extremely low genetic diversity in the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). Of 163 microsatellite loci isolated from the species' genome, only 17 are polymorphic. Mapping 98 monomorphic and 12 polymorphic loci to 35 chromosomes throughout the dog genome, we reject the selective sweep hypothesis. Genotyping 2,423 Hawaiian monk seals at the 17 polymorphic loci plus a locus previously isolated from another pinniped species, we find evidence for a recent bottleneck (P = 0.04). This is consistent with historical records describing intense hunting in the 19th century; however, the bottleneck was not of sufficient severity and duration to explain the genome-wide depletion of genetic diversity (H O = 0.05; A = 1.1). Long-term population size restriction is a more likely explanation. Though at least two of the OPEN ACCESSDiversity 2010, 2 864 polymorphic loci appear to be candidates for selection, the low genetic diversity of the species may further threaten chances for survival of this critically endangered species in a changing world.

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Interspecific microsatellite markers for the study of pinniped populations

Cited by 99 publications

References 27 publications

History and fate of a small isolated population of Weddell seals at White Island, Antarctica

History and fate of a small isolated population of Weddell seals at White Island, Antarctica

Heterozygosity and lungworm burden in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

Genome-Wide Loss of Diversity in the Critically Endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal

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