Inbreeding Coefficient and Distance in MHC Genes of Parents as Predictors of Reproductive Success in Domestic Cat

Animals

Sergey V. Naidenko¹  Galina S. Alekseeva¹  Pavel A. Sorokin¹  Mariya N. Erofeeva¹  Mariya D. Kim² 

[1] A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky pr. 33, 119071 Moscow, Russia;Department of Zoology, Institute of Zootechnics and Biology, Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Russian State Agrarian University, Timiryazevskaya Str. 49, 127550 Moscow, Russia;

关键词: inbreeding;    MHC;    reproductive success;    survival rate;    body mass;    domestic cat;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ani12020165

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Inbreeding and low diversity in MHC genes are considered to have a negative effect on reproductive success in animals. This study presents an analysis of the number and body mass of offspring in domestic cat, depending on the inbreeding coefficient and the degree of similarity in MHC genes of class I and II in parents. Inbred partners had a lower number of live kittens at birth than outbred ones. At the same time, the inbreeding coefficient did not affect the litter size and the number of offspring who survived until the period of transition to solid food. The most significant predictor for the number of surviving offspring was the degree of parental similarity in MHC genes: the parents with the maximum distance in MHC genes had more survived kittens. Moreover, this effect was most pronounced immediately after birth. A significant percentage of kittens from parents with a minimum distance in MHC genes were either stillborn or died on the first day after birth. By the age of transition to solid food, this effect is no longer so pronounced. Furthermore, neither the inbreeding coefficient nor the distance in MHC genes of parents had any effect on the body mass of kittens.

【 授权许可】

Unknown