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Reading their genes, and telling their future

Lingyun Xiao

Black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) populations in most central and Western Europe countries have declined during the last fifty years, and today only small and isolated populations remain in large parts of the species range. These isolated black grouse populations have exhibited loss of genetic variation, which may attribute to increased levels of inbreeding and loss of alleles, as well as decreased gene flow from other populations. This pattern has been shown using neutral (non-coding DNA) markers (microsatellites). However, as neutral markers are loci not under selection, they can not give information about the adaptive potential of individuals, which is very important for long-term survival of endangered species. Adaptive diversity is thus needed to be estimated using coding genes as genetic markers, preferably

fitness-correlated genes.

My study is designed to tell whether small and isolated populations of black grouse will also have lower diversity of a fitness-related gene. To achieve this I used an immune function related gene, the BLB gene, which belongs to the Major

Histocompatability Complex (Mhc). Generally, in vertebrates, this gene usually has a high diversity to cope with different kinds of pathogens. I compared the Mhc diversity among a large range of black grouse populations in different threat status: continuous, with a population size N around 3000, isolated (N = 300) and small isolated (N = 30), additionally historical populations (museum samples).

I used PCR to amplify the alleles, and investigated their diversity by using a genotyping method called Reference Strand-mediated Conformation Analysis (RSCA). The results showed overall trends of declining genetic diversity of Mhc alleles in small and isolated populations. However there were some exceptions such as two extremely small populations from Waldviertel and the Netherlands, that still harbor a relatively high BLB diversity. This could have been maintained under a rather strong balancing selection, one type of selection that tends to keep different alleles in populations.

The result calls for particular concern for isolated black grouse populations.

Populations with low Mhc variation may suffer from increased susceptibility to pathogens, therefore increasing the probability of extinction. In this particular case of conservation on black grouse, loss of Mhc diversity set off the last alarm bell for local extinction in extremely small populations. Although we can still observe high Mhc variation in some small and isolated populations, it is just a matter of time before they are attacked by a new type of pathogen and, with such a small population size they are almost doomed to extinction.

Degree project in biology, 45 hp, Master of Science (2 year), 2010

Biology Education Centre and Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Uppsala University Supervisor: Jacob Höglund and Tanja Strand

References

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