Mate choice for neutral and MHC genetic characteristics in Alpine marmots : different targets in different contexts?
Ferrandiz-Rovira, Mariona (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Allainé, Dominique (Centre national de la recherche scientifique (França). Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive)
Callait-Cardinal, Marie-Pierre (Centre national de la recherche scientifique (França). Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive)
Cohas, Aurélie (Centre national de la recherche scientifique (França). Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive)

Date:	2016
Abstract:	Sexual selection through female mate choice for genetic characteristics has been suggested to be an important evolutionary force maintaining genetic variation in animal populations. However, the genetic targets of female mate choice are not clearly identified and whether female mate choice is based on neutral genetic characteristics or on particular functional loci remains an open question. Here, we investigated the genetic targets of female mate choice in Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota), a socially monogamous mammal where extra-pair paternity (EPP) occurs. We used 16 microsatellites to describe neutral genetic characteristics and two MHC loci belonging to MHC class I and II as functional genetic characteristics. Our results reveal that (1) neutral and MHC genetic characteristics convey different information in this species, (2) social pairs show a higher MHC class II dissimilarity than expected under random mate choice, and (3) the occurrence of EPP increases when social pairs present a high neutral genetic similarity or dissimilarity but also when they present low MHC class II dissimilarity. Thus, female mate choice is based on both neutral and MHC genetic characteristics, and the genetic characteristics targeted seem to be context dependent (i. e. , the genes involved in social mate choice and genetic mate choice differ). We emphasize the need for empirical studies of mate choice in the wild using both neutral and MHC genetic characteristics because whether neutral and functional genetic characteristics convey similar information is not universal.
Note:	We warmly thank all students and Earthwatch volunteers involved in catching the marmots and the authorities of the Vanoise National Park for granting us permission to work in the Grande Sassière Nature Reserve. We thank M. Harrington for English editing and Dr. E. Rajon for helpful discussions on the manuscript. This work was supported by the "Agence Nationale de la Recherche" (ANR, project ANR-08-BLAN-0214-03, ANR-13-JSV7-0005), the "Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique" (CNRS), the "FR41 BioEnvironnement et Santé de l'Université de Lyon" and the "Earthwatch Institute", the scholarship for postgraduate studies "Obra Social Fundació La Caixa" and Vetagro-Sup.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Extra-pair paternity ; Inbreeding avoidance ; Major histocompatibility complex ; Marmota marmota ; Mate choice ; Sexual selection
Published in:	Ecology and evolution, Vol. 6, issue 13 (July 2016) , p. 4243-4257, ISSN 2045-7758

DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2189
PMID: 27386072

15 p, 240.3 KB

Suplement 1 8 p, 247.5 KB

Suplement 2 1 p, 83.5 KB

Suplement 3 1 p, 37.6 KB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles