title: Diversity and evolutionary patterns of immune genes in free-ranging Namibian leopards (Panthera pardus pardus).
abstract: The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are a key component of the mammalian immune system and have become important molecular markers for fitness-related genetic variation in wildlife populations. Currently, no information about the MHC sequence variation and constitution in African leopards exists. In this study, we isolated and characterized genetic variation at the adaptively most important region of MHC class I and MHC class II-DRB genes in 25 free-ranging African leopards from Namibia and investigated the mechanisms that generate and maintain MHC polymorphism in the species. Using single-stranded conformation polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing, we detected 6 MHC class I and 6 MHC class II-DRB sequences, which likely correspond to at least 3 MHC class I and 3 MHC class II-DRB loci. Amino acid sequence variation in both MHC classes was higher or similar in comparison to other reported felids. We found signatures of positive selection shaping the diversity of MHC class I and MHC class II-DRB loci during the evolutionary history of the species. A comparison of MHC class I and MHC class II-DRB sequences of the leopard to those of other felids revealed a trans-species mode of evolution. In addition, the evolutionary relationships of MHC class II-DRB sequences between African and Asian leopard subspecies are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Genetics, Research Groups at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Aines
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro-Prieto
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wachter
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melzheimer
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thalwitzer
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000353:Africa, Southern; D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population / Q000379:methods*; D059806:HLA-DR beta-Chains / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D046009:Panthera / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D059806:HLA-DR beta-Chains; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I