Genome sequence, population history, and pelage genetics of the endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)

BMC Genomics

Research Article

Robert C. Fleischer¹  Michael G. Campana²  Jesús E. Maldonado²  Lillian D. Parker³  Melissa T. R. Hawkins³  Hillary S. Young⁴  Kristofer M. Helgen⁵  Micaela Szykman Gunther⁶  Rosie Woodroffe⁷ 

[1] Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, 20008, Washington, DC, USA;Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, 20008, Washington, DC, USA;Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 22030, Fairfax, VA, USA;Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, 20008, Washington, DC, USA;Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 22030, Fairfax, VA, USA;Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, MRC 108, Smithsonian Institution, 20013, Washington, DC, USA;Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, 93106, Santa Barbara, CA, USA;Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 22030, Fairfax, VA, USA;Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, MRC 108, Smithsonian Institution, 20013, Washington, DC, USA;Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University, 1 Harpst St, 95521, Arcata, CA, USA;Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, NW1 4RY, London, UK;

关键词: Lycaon pictus;    Genome;    Population history;    Selection;    Pelage;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12864-016-3368-9

 received in 2016-07-22, accepted in 2016-12-02,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is an endangered African canid threatened by severe habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and infectious disease. A highly specialized carnivore, it is distinguished by its social structure, dental morphology, absence of dewclaws, and colorful pelage.ResultsWe sequenced the genomes of two individuals from populations representing two distinct ecological histories (Laikipia County, Kenya and KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa). We reconstructed population demographic histories for the two individuals and scanned the genomes for evidence of selection.ConclusionsWe show that the African wild dog has undergone at least two effective population size reductions in the last 1,000,000 years. We found evidence of Lycaon individual-specific regions of low diversity, suggestive of inbreeding or population-specific selection. Further research is needed to clarify whether these population reductions and low diversity regions are characteristic of the species as a whole. We documented positive selection on the Lycaon mitochondrial genome. Finally, we identified several candidate genes (ASIP, MITF, MLPH, PMEL) that may play a role in the characteristic Lycaon pelage.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016