MHC class I and MHC class II DRB gene variability in wild and captive Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris).
Bengal tigers are highly endangered and knowledge on adaptive genetic variation can be essential for efficient conservation and management. Here we present the first assessment of allelic variation in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and MHC class II DRB genes for wild and captive tigers from India. We amplified, cloned, and sequenced alpha-1 and alpha-2 domain of MHC class I and beta-1 domain of MHC class II DRB genes in 16 tiger specimens of different geographic origin. We detected high variability in peptide-binding sites, presumably resulting from positive selection. Tigers exhibit a low number of MHC DRB alleles, similar to other endangered big cats. Our initial assessment-admittedly with limited geographic coverage and sample size-did not reveal significant differences between captive and wild tigers with regard to MHC variability. In addition, we successfully amplified MHC DRB alleles from scat samples. Our characterization of tiger MHC alleles forms a basis for further in-depth analyses of MHC variability in this illustrative threatened mammal.
Pokorny
Ina
I
Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
Sharma
Reeta
R
Goyal
Surendra Prakash
SP
Mishra
Sudanshu
S
Tiedemann
Ralph
R
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D056727:Endangered Species; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D045989:Felidae / Q000235:genetics; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007194:India; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017385:Sequence Homology; D046010:Tigers / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D004247:DNA
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