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Argentine population genetic structure: large variance in Amerindian contribution.

Argentine population genetic structure was examined using a set of 78 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) to assess the contributions of European, Amerindian, and African ancestry in 94 individuals members of this population. Using the Bayesian clustering algorithm STRUCTURE, the mean European contribution was 78%, the Amerindian contribution was 19.4%, and the African contribution was 2.5%. Similar results were found using weighted least mean square method: European, 80.2%; Amerindian, 18.1%; and African, 1.7%. Consistent with previous studies the current results showed very few individuals (four of 94) with greater than 10% African admixture. Notably, when individual admixture was examined, the Amerindian and European admixture showed a very large variance and individual Amerindian contribution ranged from 1.5 to 84.5% in the 94 individual Argentine subjects. These results indicate that admixture must be considered when clinical epidemiology or case control genetic analyses are studied in this population. Moreover, the current study provides a set of informative SNPs that can be used to ascertain or control for this potentially hidden stratification. In addition, the large variance in admixture proportions in individual Argentine subjects shown by this study suggests that this population is appropriate for future admixture mapping studies.

Asian People↗

Dispersal, philopatry and intergroup relatedness: fine-scale genetic structure in the white-breasted thrasher, Ramphocinclus brachyurus.

Dispersal is a fundamental process influencing evolution, social behaviour, and the long-term persistence of populations. We use both observational and genetic data to investigate dispersal, kin-clustering and intergroup relatedness in the white-breasted thrasher, Ramphocinclus brachyurus, a cooperatively breeding bird that is globally endangered. Mark-resighting data suggested sex-biased dispersal, with females dispersing over greater distances while males remained philopatric. Accordingly, spatial autocorrelation analysis showed highly significant fine-scale genetic structure among males, but not among females. This fine-scale genetic structuring of the male population resulted in very high levels of relatedness between dominant males at neighbouring nests, similar to that seen within cooperative groups in many species where kin selection is cited as a cause of cooperation. By implication, between-group as well as within-group cooperation may be important, potentially creating a feedback loop in which short-distance dispersal by males leads to the formation of male kin clusters that in turn facilitate nepotistic interactions and favour further local recruitment. The strength of spatial autocorrelation, as measured by the autocorrelation coefficient, r, was approximately two to three times greater than that reported in previous studies of animals. Relatively short dispersal distances by both males and females may have a negative impact on the white-breasted thrasher's ability to colonize new areas, and may influence the long-term persistence of isolated populations. This should be taken into account when designating protected areas or selecting sites for habitat restoration.

Animal Migration↗

Genetic Structure of Rhizobium etli biovar phaseoli Associated with Wild and Cultivated Bean Plants (Phaseolus vulgaris and Phaseolus coccineus) in Morelos, Mexico.

The genetic structure of Rhizobium etli biovar phaseoli was determined for five populations in three different locations in the state of Morelos, Mexico, by using starch gel electrophoresis for five to nine polymorphic loci. Two populations were sampled during two different years from nodules of cultivated and wild common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris). The three other populations were associated with wild runner beans (P. coccineus) and sampled during 1988. The Rhizobium populations differ genetically both among sites and among populations within the same site in different years, as shown by differences in allelic frequencies, genetic differentiation analysis, and differences in electrotypes. The total genetic diversity for the five populations during 1988 was H = 0.487; there were also high levels of genetic variation within each population. We found the highest linkage disequilibrium in a global analysis for all the populations. At a local scale, we also found significant linkage disequilibrium in two populations, although the distribution of the D' suggest some recombination at a local scale. The other three rhizobium populations exhibit low linkage disequilibrium. A cluster analysis (UPGMA) of pairwise genetic distances showed that bacteria isolated from most wild Phaseolus spp. are grouped by population, whereas those obtained from cultivated P. vulgaris are very heterogeneous. The analysis of the genetic structure of Rhizobium strains may allow the identification of strains that are naturally well adapted to a wide range of different environments, which may be useful for agricultural purposes or as a starting point for developing improved Rhizobium strains.

Journal Article↗

Genetically structured mathematical modeling of trp attenuator mechanism.

A genetically structured mathematical model of the trp attenuator in Escherichia coli based on known coupling mechanisms of the transcription of the trp leader region and translation of the trp leader peptide region is proposed. The model simulates, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the effects of tryptophan on the repression of cloned gene products. It shows that repression by attenuation mechanism alone operates over a narrow trp concentration range of 1 to 5 microM compared with 1 to 100 microM for trp repressor mechanism. This implies that attenuation by transcription termination is not relaxed until tryptophan starvation is severe. Simulation results show that the attenuator starts to derepress when the repressor is about 40% repressed, and becomes significantly derepressed only when the repressor repression decreased to about 20%. Unlike the case of repressor-operator interaction, the operating range of tryptophan concentration in the attenuator mechanism is not sensitive to plasmid copy number.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Sex-biased dispersal in sperm whales: contrasting mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure of global populations.

The social organization of most mammals is characterized by female philopatry and male dispersal. Such sex-biased dispersal can cause the genetic structure of populations to differ between the maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the bi-parental nuclear genome. Here we report on the global genetic structure of oceanic populations of the sperm whale, one of the most widely distributed mammalian species. Groups of females and juveniles are mainly found at low latitudes, while males reach polar waters, returning to tropical and subtropical waters to breed. In comparisons between oceans, we did not find significant heterogeneity in allele frequencies of microsatellite loci (exact test; p = 0.23). Estimates of GST = 0.001 and RST = 0.005 also indicated negligible if any nuclear DNA differentiation. We have previously reported significant differentiation between oceans in mtDNA sequences. These contrasting patterns suggest that interoceanic movements have been more prevalent among males than among females, consistent with observations of females being the philopatric sex and having a more limited latitudinal distribution than males. Consequently, the typical mammalian dispersal pattern may have operated on a global scale in sperm whales.

Age Factors↗

Diversity and genetic structure of the Mexican endemic epiphyte Tillandsia achyrostachys E. Morr. ex Baker var. achyrostachys (Bromeliaceae).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The monoecious, bird-pollinated epiphytic Tillandsia achyrostachys E. Morr. ex Baker var. achyrostachys is an endemic bromeliad of the tropical dry forests of Mexico with clonal growth. In the Sierra de Huautla Natural Reserve this species shows a host preference for Bursera copallifera (Sessé & Moc ex. DC) Bullock. As a result of deforestation in the study area, B. copallifera has become a rare tree species in the remaining forest patches. This human-induced disturbance has directly affected the population densities of T. achyrostachys. In this study the genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation were assessed by comparing the genetic diversity, gene flow and genetic differentiation in six populations of T. achyrostachys in the Sierra de Huautla Natural Reserve, Mexico. METHODS: Allozyme electrophoresis of sixteen loci (eleven polymorphic and five monomorphic) were used. The data were analysed with standard statistical approximations for obtaining diversity, genetic structure and gene flow. KEY RESULTS: Genetic diversity and allelic richness were: HE = 0.21 +/- 0.02, A = 1.86 +/- 0.08, respectively. F-statistics revealed a deficiency of heterozygous plants in all populations (Fit = 0.65 +/- 0.02 and Fis = 0.43 +/- 0.06). Significant genetic differentiation between populations was detected (Fst = 0.39 +/- 0.07). Average gene flow between pairs of populations was relatively low and had high variation (Nm = 0.46 +/- 0.21), which denotes a pattern of isolation by distance. The genetic structure of populations of T. achyrostachys suggests that habitat fragmentation has reduced allelic richness and genetic diversity, and increased significant genetic differentiation (by approx. 40 %) between populations. CONCLUSIONS: The F-statistic values (>0) and the level of gene flow found suggest that habitat fragmentation has broken up the former population structure. In this context, it is proposed that the host trees of T. achyrostachys should be considered as a conservation priority, since they represent the limiting factor to bromeliad population growth and connectivity.

Environment↗

Population genetic structure of Carchesium polypinum (Ciliophora: Peritrichia) in four Chinese lakes inferred from ISSR fingerprinting: high diversity but low differentiation.

Although the peritrichous ciliate Carchesium polypinum is common in freshwater, its population genetic structure is largely unknown. We used inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) fingerprinting to analyze the genetic structure of 48 different isolates of the species from four lakes in Wuhan, central China. Using eight polymorphic primers, 81 discernible DNA fragments were detected, among which 76 (93.83%) were polymorphic, indicating high genetic diversity at the isolate level. Further, Nei's gene diversity (h) and Shannon's Information index (I) between the different isolates both revealed a remarkable genetic diversity, higher than previously indicated by their morphology. At the same time, substantial gene flow was found. So the main factors responsible for the high level of diversity within populations are probably due to conjugation (sexual reproduction) and wide distribution of swarmers. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that there was low genetic differentiation among the four populations probably due to common ancestry and flooding events. The cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) suggested that genotypes isolated from the same lake displayed a higher genetic similarity than those from different lakes. Both analyses separated C. polypinum isolates into subgroups according to the geographical locations. However, there is only a weak positive correlation between the genetic distance and geographical distance, suggesting a minor effect of geographical distance on the distribution of genetic diversity between populations of C. polypinum at the local level. In conclusion, our studies clearly demonstrated that a single morphospecies may harbor high levels of genetic diversity, and that the degree of resolution offered by morphology as a marker for measuring distribution patterns of genetically distinct entities is too low.

Animals↗

Testing population genetic structure using parametric bootstrapping and MIGRATE-N.

We present a method for investigating genetic population structure using sequence data. Our hypothesis states that the parameters most responsible for the formation of genetic structure among different populations are the relative rates of mutation (micro) and migration (M). The evolution of genetic structure among different populations requires rates of M << p because this allows population-specific mutation to accumulate. Rates of micro << M will result in populations that are effectively panmictic because genetic differentiation will not develop among demes. Our test is implemented by using a parametric bootstrap to create the null distribution of the likelihood of the data having been produced under an appropriate model of sequence evolution and a migration rate sufficient to approximate panmixia. We describe this test, then apply it to mtDNA data from 243 plethodontid salamanders. We are able to reject the null hypothesis of no population structure on all but smallest geographic scales, a result consistent with the apparent lack of migration in Plethodon idahoensis. This approach represents a new method of investigating population structure with haploid DNA, and as such may be particularly useful for preliminary investigation of non-model organisms in which multi-locus nuclear data are not available.

Animals↗

Marital migration and genetic structure in Kitee, Finland.

A genetic analysis of marital migration in Kitee, Finland, is presented. The data are based on 9970 marriages which took place between 1750 and 1877. The results of this analysis are compared with those of previous studies of the population of the Aland Islands, Finland. Analysis of inter-subdivision genetic kinship matrices shows that genetic heterogeneity in Kitee is substantially less than in Aland. This is due primarily to higher rates of migration, both between subdivisions and from outside the population, in Kitee compared to Aland. These differences in migration rates can in turn be attributed to greater geographic isolation in Aland and the contrasting social structures of the two populations. Because of differences in geographic structure and population distribution, geographic distance between subdivisions is a better predictor of inter-subdivision genetic kinship in Kitee than in Aland. The Aland Islands are known to have high frequencies of several otherwise rare genetic diseases; in addition, these diseases are distributed very non-randomly among Aland's subdivisions. The genetic structure results presented here suggest that Kitee should have a less unique distribution of genetic diseases.

Emigration and Immigration↗

Spatial genetic structure and clonal diversity of island populations of lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) from the Biebrza National Park (northeast Poland).

Three populations of the rare and endangered plant species Cypripedium calceolus were included in a study of genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure in the Biebrza National Park, northeast Poland. Analysis of 11 allozyme loci indicate that the populations of this species contained high genetic variability (P = 45.5%, A= 1.73). On the other hand, the genetic differentiation (FST = 0.014, P < 0.05) among C. calceolus populations was very low when compared to other species with similar life history characteristics. The observed high rate of gene flow (Nm = 18) may suggest that the populations studied derived from each other in the recent past. Five polymorphic allozyme markers identified 109 multilocus genotypes in three populations and the majority of them (67%) were population-specific. One of the populations studied, characterized by particularly extensive vegetative reproduction, showed the lowest clonal diversity (G/N = 0.15) and heterozygosity (HO = 0.111) values and the highest FIS(0.380), when compared to other two populations (G/N = 0.26-0.27, HO= 0.166-178, FIS = 0.024-0.055). This may indicate that clonal reproduction has an important influence on the genetic structure of C. calceolus populations. The longevity of genets, the out-crossing breeding system and the presence of recruitment from seeds are factors maintaining genetic diversity in C. calceolus.

Biological Evolution↗

Spatial population genetic structure in Trillium grandiflorum: the roles of dispersal, mating, history, and selection.

The roles of the various potential ecological and evolutionary causes of spatial population genetic structure (SPGS) cannot in general be inferred from the extant structure alone. However, a stage-specific analysis can provide clues as to the causes of SPGS. We conducted a stage-specific SPGS analysis of a mapped population of about 2000 Trillium grandiflorum (Liliaceae), a long-lived perennial herb. We compared SPGS for juvenile (J), nonreproductive (NR), and reproductive (R) stages. Fisher's exact test showed that genotypes had Hardy-Weinberg frequencies at all loci and stage classes. Allele frequencies did not differ between stages. Bootstrapped 99% confidence intervals (99%CI) indicate that F-statistic values are indistinguishable from zero, (except for a slightly negative FIT for the R stage). Spatial autocorrelation was used to calculate f the average kinship coefficient between individuals within distance intervals. Null hypothesis 99%CIs for f were constructed by repeatedly randomizing genotypic locations. Significant positive fine-scale genetic structure was detected in the R and NR stages, but not in the J stage. This structure was most pronounced in the R stage, and declined by about half in each remaining stage: near-neighbor f = 0.122, 0.065, 0.027, for R, NR, and J, respectively. For R and NR, the near-neighbor f lies outside the null hypothesis 99%CI, indicating kinship at approximately the level of half-sibs and first cousins, respectively. We also simulated the expected SPGS of juveniles post dispersal, based on measured R-stage SPGS, the mating system, and measured pollen and seed dispersal properties. This provides a null hypothesis expectation (as a 99%CI) for the J-stage correlogram, against which to test the likelihood that post-dispersal events have influenced J-stage SPGS. The actual J correlogram lies within the null hypothesis 99%CI for the shortest distance interval and nearly all other distance intervals indicating that the observed low recruitment, random mating and seed dispersal patterns are sufficient to account for the disappearance of SPSG between the R and the J stages. The observed increase in SPGS between J and R stages has two potential explanations: history and local selection. The observed low total allelic diversity is consistent with a past bottleneck: a possible historical explanation. Only a longitudinal stage-specific study of SPGS structure can distinguish between historical events and local selection as causes of increased structure with increasing life history stage.

Genetics, Population↗

[Formation and genetic structure of polylysogens for lambda and phi 80 and their lambda att80 hybrid infecting wild-type Escherichia coli].

The frequency of polylysogeny and the genetic structure of polylysogens were studied for phages lambda, phi 80 and lambda att80. For none of these phages does frequency of polylysogeny vary by more than a factor of 2 within a wide range of multiplicities of infection (from 10(-3) up to 10) but the relative location of the prophages on the host chromosome is different. In the case of lambda, polylysogens are formed with a high frequency (0.20-0.41) and the prophages are inserted in tandem into the primary (normal) att site. In the case of phi 80 and lambda att80, polylysogens occur about 10 times less frequently and usually have one prophage inserted into the primary attachment site and another (sometimes, also a third) in one of the secondary ones. Wild-type Escherichia coli was shown to possess at least four secondary att80 sites, two of which (close to the his and tolC loci) are preferred. The frequency of secondary integration of phi 80 and lambda att80 does not differ significantly in the wild-type host and in cells deleted for the primary att site (0.041 and 0.045, respectively, among surviving cells at MOI 10). Certain properties of the phi 80 lysogens make it more difficult to decode their genetic structure.

Attachment Sites, Microbiological↗

Influence of landscape on the population genetic structure of the alpine butterfly parnassius smintheus (Papilionidae)

Four microsatellite DNA markers were developed which were used to examine the relationship between landscape and population genetic structure among a set of populations of the butterfly Parnassius smintheus located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Detailed information on the dispersal of adult butterflies among this same set of populations was available. Simple and partial Mantel tests were used to examine the relationships between genetic distances, predicted rates of dispersal, and a number of landscape variables, all measured pairwise for 17 sample sites. Nei's standard genetic distance was negatively correlated with predicted dispersal. We observed a significant pattern of isolation by distance at a very small spatial scale. The distance between sites that was through forest was a stronger predictor of genetic distance than the distance through open meadow, indicating a significant effect of landscape on population genetic structure beyond that of simple isolation by distance. Our results suggest that rises in the tree-line in alpine areas, caused by global warming, will lead to reduced gene flow among populations of P. smintheus.

Journal Article↗

Population genetic structure of two ecologically distinct Amazonian spiny rats: separating history and current ecology.

Population history and current demographic and ecological factors determine the amount of genetic variation within and the degree of differentiation among populations. Differences in the life history and ecology of codistributed species may lead to differences in hierarchical population genetic structure. Here, we compare patterns of genetic diversity and structure of two species of spiny rats in the genus Proechimys from the Rio Jurui of western Amazonian Brazil. Based on the ecological and life-history differences between the two species, we make predictions as to how they might differ in patterns of genetic diversity and structure. We use mitochondrial sequence data from the cytochrome b gene to test these predictions. Although both species maintain nearly the same number of mitochondrial haplotypes across the sampled range, they differ in levels of genetic diversity and geographic structure. Patterns of gene flow are also different between the two species with average M-values of nearly three in P. steerei and less than one in P. simonsi. Our initial predictions are largely upheld by the genetic data and where conflicting hypotheses arise, we suggest further studies that may allow us to distinguish among evolutionary scenarios. Separating the effects of history and ongoing demography on patterns of genetic diversity is challenging. Combining genetic analyses with field studies remains essential to disentangling these complex processes.

Animals↗

Inference of Genetic Structure and the Process of Population Formation in Nepalese Native Goats Using Uniparental and Genome-Wide Markers.

Nepal is a small, landlocked country with marked elevational variation from the Terai plains to the Himalayas. Here, four indigenous goat populations (Chyangra, Sinhal, Khari, and Terai) are raised at different elevations. This study aimed to clarify the genetic structure of these populations and how they are formed and propagated across the Himalayan region. We analyzed 136 Nepalese goats using mitochondrial (mt) DNA D-loop and sex-determining region Y (SRY) 3'-untranslated region (UTR) sequences, as well as 50 K SNP array data. The mtDNA haplogroups D (0.162) and G (0.03) were detected only in Chyangra, whereas haplogroup B was predominant in Sinhal (0.42), followed by Khari (0.260). Regarding SRY haplotypes, Y2B was detected in all populations, whereas Y1AB (0.42) was found only in Chyangra. Genome-wide SNP analysis showed that Chyangra was genetically related to Tibetan and Central Asian goats, while Terai resembled South Asian goats. Interestingly, Sinhal formed a distinct cluster, whereas Khari exhibited an admixed genetic structure. These findings suggest that Nepalese goats originate from at least three ancestral lineages and that an additional migration route may have existed through the southern Himalayas.

50K SNP↗

[Effects of divergent habitat on genetic structure of population of Excoecaria agallocha, a mangrove associate].

Genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Excoecaria agallocha, a typical mangrove associate species,were surveyed at divergent habitats (intertidal and inland). In general, intertidal populations had higher genetic diversity than inland populations. Genetic differentiation among intertidal populations (G(ST) = 0.191) were smaller than that among inland populations (G(ST) = 0.218), suggesting that gene flow via seed among intertidal populations were stronger. In an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), we found that 15.13% of the genetic variance could be explained by the differentiation between habitats, as compared to only 11.63% to geographical effects among five sits 181 -759 km distant from each other. This implies that markedly selection regimes result in habitat adaptation. Isolation-by-distance, Southwest Monsoon Current,China Coastal Current and genetic drift played important role in genetic differentiation of China population of Excoecaria agalocha.

Euphorbiaceae↗

[Genetic structure of various native and commercial breeds of cattle (Bos taurus) from Eurasia].

On the basis of polymorphism of genes, controlling seven blood and four milk proteins, genetic structure and main variation parameters were analyzed in 27 breeds of cattle, 11 of which were native. Difference in allele frequencies of blood proteins were detected in the Jersey (island form) and Yakut (geographically isolated form) breeds; in milk proteins, the Yaroslavl' breed differed from the other breeds. Native breeds generally had a more specialized genetic structure than commercial breeds. They had a greater deficit of heterozygotes, which is probably related to the small number of individuals in this breed group and their high homozygosity. An analysis of inter- and intrapopulation diversity showed differences in groups of commercial and native breeds that depended on the intensity of selection in populations.

Animal Husbandry↗

Extinction-colonization dynamics structure genetic variation of spotted sunfish (Lepomis punctatus) in the Florida Everglades.

The population genetics of aquatic animals in the Florida Everglades may be strongly influenced by extinction and colonization dynamics. We combined analyses of allozyme and microsatellite loci to test the hypothesis that two levels of population structure are present for spotted sunfish (Pisces: Centrarchidae: Lepomis punctatus) inhabiting the Everglades. We hypothesized that annual cycles of marsh dry-down increase local-scale genetic variation through a process of local extinction and colonization; we hypothesized that barriers to gene flow by levee/canal systems create a second, regional level of genetic variation. In 1996 and 1997, we sampled spotted sunfish from 11 Everglades sites that were distributed in three regions separated by levees. We documented patterns of genetic variation at 7 polymorphic allozyme loci and 5 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Most genetic variation was present among local populations, according to both types of genetic markers. Furthermore, samples from marsh sites were heterogeneous, while those from canals were not. These data supported our hypothesis that dry-down events and local population dynamics in the marsh have a significant effect on population genetic structure of spotted sunfish. We found no support for our hypothesis that water-management structures superimpose a second level of genetic structure on this species, possibly because canals obscure historical structure by facilitating gene flow or because the complete canal system has been in place for fewer than 20 generations of this species. Our data suggests a continent-island (canal-marsh) structure of populations with high gene flow among regions and recurrent mixing in marshes from canal and creek habitats.

Animals↗