Historical genomes reveal the genomic consequences of recent population decline in eastern gorillas
van der Valk, Tom (Uppsala University. Department of Ecology and Genetics (Sweden))
Díez, David (Swedish Museum of Natural History. Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics)
Marquès i Bonet, Tomàs 1975- (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Guschanski, Katerina (Uppsala University. Department of Ecology and Genetics (Sweden))
Dalén, Love (Swedish Museum of Natural History. Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics)

Date:	2019
Abstract:	Many endangered species have experienced severe population declines within the last centuries [1, 2]. However, despite concerns about negative fitness effects resulting from increased genetic drift and inbreeding, there is a lack of empirical data on genomic changes in conjunction with such declines [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Here, we use whole genomes recovered from century-old historical museum specimens to quantify the genomic consequences of small population size in the critically endangered Grauer's and endangered mountain gorillas. We find a reduction of genetic diversity and increase in inbreeding and genetic load in the Grauer's gorilla, which experienced severe population declines in recent decades. In contrast, the small but relatively stable mountain gorilla population has experienced little genomic change during the last century. These results suggest that species histories as well as the rate of demographic change may influence how population declines affect genome diversity.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación BFU2017-86471-P Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2017/SGR-880
Note:	Altres ajuts: Obra Social "La Caixa" and CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya
Rights:	Aquest material està protegit per drets d'autor i/o drets afins. Podeu utilitzar aquest material en funció del que permet la legislació de drets d'autor i drets afins d'aplicació al vostre cas. Per a d'altres usos heu d'obtenir permís del(s) titular(s) de drets.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Conservation genomics ; Museum collections ; Inbreeding ; Genome erosion ; Genetic load ; Critically endangered
Published in:	Current biology, Vol. 29, Issue 1 (January 2019) , p. 165-170, ISSN 0960-9822

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.11.055
PMID: 30595519

13 p, 1.8 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles