Analysing signatures of environmental selection in Pacific Coastal wolves

Trajbarič, Aleksander (author), Stronen, Astrid Vik (mentor), Skrbinšek, Tomaž (co-mentor)

The interest of studies aiming to associate the environment and genetic signatures is immense. In case of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) in northwestern North America there are adjacent populations in inland and coastal habitats that have distinct climates and food resources. Earlier studies suggest relatively high gene flow among inland wolf populations, but limited gene flow between inland and coastal wolf populations. The coastal wolves are therefore genetically isolated and carry a distinct genomic profile. Here, we examined 152 genetic profiles of inland and coastal wolf populations, based on 67171 SNP markers. We report outlier SNP loci detected between the inland and coastal populations that are associated with genes for metabolism, neuronal, skeletal, dental, immune, and integumental attributes. We associated differences in genetic profiles of the studied populations to their respective environments and ecology. We present that the discovered selection signatures may be related to marine parasites and other infections, metabolic and physiological adaptations to a potentially higher salt and fat intake, and morphological adaptations related to specifics in foraging strategies. Although these results must be interpreted with caution, also given the presence of related individuals and inaccurate sampling locations, they provide valuable information for conservation planning and future research.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Canis lupus, environmental selection, genetic signatures, single nucleotide polymorphism
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publisher: [A. Trajbarič]
• Year: 2023
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-150346
• UDC: 577.21:599.744.111(043.2)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 164707587
• Publication date in RUL: 16.09.2023

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Analiziranje znakov okoljske selekcije pri pacifiških obalnih volkovih

Abstract

Zanimanje za študije, katerih cilj je povezati okolje in genetske znake, je ogromno. V primeru volka (Canis lupus) na severozahodu Severne Amerike obstajajo sosednje populacije v celinskih in obalnih habitatih, ki se razlikujejo po podnebju in prehranskih virih. Pretekle študije kažejo na razmeroma velik pretok genov med celinskimi populacijami volkov, vendar omejen pretok genov med celinskimi in obalnimi populacijami volkov. Obalni volkovi so genetsko izolirani in imajo poseben genomski profil. V študiji smo na podlagi 67171 označevalcev SNP preučili 152 genetskih profilov celinskih in obalnih populacij volkov. Poročamo o izstopajočih lokusih SNPjih, zaznanih med celinskimi in obalnimi populacijami, ki so povezani z geni za presnovo, nevronske, skeletne, zobne, imunske in kožne lastnosti. Razlike v genetskih profilih preučevanih populacij smo povezali z njihovimi okolji in ekologijo. Predstavljamo, da so odkriti selekcijski znaki povezani z morskimi paraziti in drugimi okužbami, presnovnimi in fiziološkimi prilagoditvami na potencialno večji vnos soli in maščob ter morfološkimi prilagoditvami, povezanimi s posebnostmi strategij iskanja hrane. Čeprav je treba te rezultate tolmačiti previdno, tudi zaradi sorodnih osebkov in netočnih lokacij vzorčenja, zagotavljajo dragocene informacije za načrtovanje ohranjanja ter prihodnje raziskave.

• Keywords: Canis lupus, okoljska selekcija, genetski znaki, polimorfizem posameznih nukleotidov