title: Low major histocompatibility complex diversity in the Tasmanian devil predates European settlement and may explain susceptibility to disease epidemics.
abstract: The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is at risk of extinction owing to the emergence of a contagious cancer known as devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). The emergence and spread of DFTD has been linked to low genetic diversity in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). We examined MHC diversity in historical and ancient devils to determine whether loss of diversity is recent or predates European settlement in Australia. Our results reveal no additional diversity in historical Tasmanian samples. Mainland devils had common modern variants plus six new variants that are highly similar to existing alleles. We conclude that low MHC diversity has been a feature of devil populations since at least the Mid-Holocene and could explain their tumultuous history of population crashes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Belov
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D056727:Endangered Species; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005580:Fossils; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013997:Time Factors