Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations in Arkansas and Tennessee

We conducted surveys of mutant allele frequencies of four cat populations in Arkansas and Tennessee during 2002. Our calculations and analyses support that Southwestern cat populations were relatively more genetically similar to each other than compared to cat populations in other areas of North America. However, the cat population of Fort Smith is slightly different from the other cat populations studied in the Southwestern United States. Although there is a clear significant spatial geographic pattern for many mutant coat allele frequencies in the United States and Canada cat populations (d, l, S, and W), our results revealed that there is not a significant isolation-by-distance model affecting these cat populations. Our data also support the historical migration hypothesis because our calculated allele frequencies were genetically similar to cat populations located in ancestral areas of Europe. Different phenograms, including new European cat genetic profiles, showed that the Southwestern cat populations studied are of a clear British origin. Therefore, migration routes of early Arkansas and Tennessee settlers help explain the similarities of allele frequencies among domestic cat populations.     

Coat color mutation frequencies in domestic cat populations of Primorskii krai, Russia

The frequencies of mutant coat color genes have been estimated in the cat populations of five settlements in Primorskii krai, Russia: two cities (Partizansk and Spassk-Dal'nii), a town (Khorol'), and two villages (Dmitrievka and Brovnichi). The genetic profiles of these populations have been found to be relatively homogenous and to correspond of the cat population of the city of Vladivostok studied earlier. No considerable differences in gene frequencies have been found between urban and rural cat populations. The data suggest a common origin of all domestic cat populations of Primorskii krai.     

Variation of the mitochondrial DNA control region in the populations of southern form of Dolly Varden (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus malma krascheninnikovi</Emphasis>) from Sakhalin

Analysis of a 551-bp segment of the mitochondrial DNA control region in 23 individuals from nine populations of Dolly Varden from Sakhalin and three individuals from the Shikaribetsu Lake (Hokkaido) revealed the presence of seven haplotypes of southern form, along with one haplotype of northern form of Dolly Varden. All seven haplotypes of southern Dolly Varden were earlier described in the populations from Hokkaido. Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) based on the haplotype frequencies, performed using literature data, suggested that, during the glacial epoch, there were three regional population groups of Dolly Varden (from eastern and western coasts of Sakhalin, and from Southern Primorye). Population groups from Sakhalin and Primorye were clearly separated. The differences between two Sakhalin population groups in the mtDNA haplotype frequencies were not statistically significant. However, relative to the earlier obtained data on microsatellite loci, these differences were statistically significant. For the populations of Sakhalin Dolly Varden, the data on mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA variation supplement each other.     

Mutant gene frequencies in cats of Cyprus

Summary Three areas of the island of Cyprus have been sampled for frequency of nine mutant genes among the domestic cat population. The significance of the observed frequencies are discussed with particular reference to the existence of world-wide clines for O (orange) and t ^b (blotched tabby). The frequencies for Cyprus seems to be intermediate to those reported for European and Asian populations and could be part of the proposed East-West cline for the two genes.     

Mutant allele frequencies in the domestic cats of Turkey and Greece

The incidence of mutant phenotypes has been recorded in domestic cat populations of Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Trabzon. From this information, allele frequencies have been estimated for seven loci. These data are compared to those from adjacent countries, particularly Greece and Cyprus, and clinal maps of the region are presented for three of the mutants.     

Genetic differentiation and the problems of conservation of masu salmon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus masou</Emphasis> Brevoort, 1856 (Pisces: Salmonidae)) populations

This study focuses on the strategy for the conservation of masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou, in the northern part of the species range (via the masu populations in Sakhalin Oblast), based on data of its population structure. It is shown that masu populations that inhabit different rivers genetically differ from each other in allele frequencies at microsatellite markers. In the Naiba River basin, at least two genetically distinct masu populations exist: in the upper reaches and in a tributary, the Bolshoy Takoy River. The masu populations on Iturup Island significantly differ from those on Sakhalin Island; within Sakhalin, the masu salmon from the Chernaya River in the southwestern part of the island is genetically distinct from the southeastern Sakhalin and Aniva Bay populations. The genetic diversity of Iturup populations is substantially lower than that on Sakhalin, probably due to their small sizes. The measures for the conservation and recovery of masu salmon populations should be based primarily on their own genetic resources, or, in the case of a lack of spawners, on the base populations of their ecological/geographical region. In the latter case, masu populations of large rivers can be considered as base ones: for southeastern Sakhalin, this is masu salmon of the Naiba River; for Aniva Bay, this is masu salmon of the Lyutoga River. Transplantation of fish, fertilized eggs, or any other genetic material from a population that is different genetically and inhabits the waters with different ecological gradients should be strongly restricted. The formosan masu salmon from Taiwan Island is studied as an example of a strict genetic isolate.     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations in the Netherlands

Surveys of gene frequencies in domestic cat (Felis catus) populations were carried out in four cities in the Netherlands. The principal variants recorded included seven mutant alleles affecting coat colour and hair length. Significant differences in frequencies were found between cities at some of the loci considered. The results of these surveys help to clarify certain trends in the distribution of mutant alleles in cat populations across Europe. Some insight is offered into the importance of trade routes in determining these patterns of distribution. In addition, comparisons between owned pets and unwanted cats indicate that human preferences have little effect on mutant allele frequencies.     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations on the Spanish Mediterranean coast,and their genetic distances from other European and North African cat populations

New genetic profiles of domestic cat populations were studied in different parts of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The t ^b frequency is the most outstanding differentiated factor between the populations analyzed. The low t ^b frequencies found in Barcelona and other Catalan localities are the most important characteristic of these populations and, probably, find an explanation in the extraordinarily high historical and commercial relationships between Barcelona and the Eastern Mediterranean (Greece, especially) during the 14th and 15th centuries. In other Spanish Mediterranean littoral cities the t ^b frequencies reach higher values and are more similar to those found in other Western European cat populations. Significant differences found in certain allelic frequencies (Orange and Blotched) caused by the urban-rural effect are discovered between Barcelona and two nearby rural cat populations.     

Genetic differentiation among chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum), from Primorye and Sakhalin

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was examined in six wild populations of chum salmon ( Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum) distributed over the Primorye Region which extends approximately 1000 km along the Sea of Japan coast, and six populations from Sakhalin, using restriction enzyme analysis. By means of two restriction enzymes ( Bam HI and Eco 81I) eight mtDNA clonal lines were revealed in the 346 chum salmon studied. Mitochondrial DNA variants grouped the fish into two major clusters representing the Primorye and Sakhalin regions. Analysis of different chum salmon generations showed stability in the temporal population genetic structure in the three Primorye populations studied, but instability in the Sakhalin population of the Naiba River. We succeeded in detecting four major mtDNA clonal variants in Primorye chum salmon. The geographic distribution of clonal frequencies in Primorye populations has a clinal U-shape associated with the north-south axis of the Primorye region. On the whole, Sakhalin populations are less heterogeneous than Primorye ones. Two hatchery-seeded stocks from south west Sakhalin showed no mtDNA clonal variation.     

Gene frequencies in the cat population of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the possible origin of this population.

The phenotypes of 295 stray cats seen in the capital area of Buenos Aires, Argentina, between March and December of 1989 were recorded. The corresponding mutant allele frequencies were as follows: O = 0.28, a = 0.83, Ta = 0.01; tb = 0.31; d = 0.45; I = 0.40; S = 0.28; W = 0.02. The allele frequencies calculated at the O locus were consistent with those expected for a randomly breeding population according to the formula for the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The analysis of the genetic distances between Buenos Aires and several European cat populations revealed that the Spanish and, especially, those with a proven more ancestral genetic constitution, are the most closely related. When a similar analysis was carried out, including other Latin American cat populations, those of Spanish origin were found to show the highest degree of relatedness. These findings suggest that the Buenos Aires cat population was not genetically structured following the "two-stepping-stone" model and support the hypothesis that differential gene flows play a transcendental role in understanding the genetic composition of domestic cat populations.     

Fur color gene profiles and length of hair of several cat populations in Cuba, Costa Rica, Colombia, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina, and possible genetic origins of these cat populations

Until the present moment, only a scarce number of Latin American domestic cat populations have been studied from a population genetic standpoint. For this reason, the cat populations of La Havana (Cuba), San José (Costa Rica), Bogota and Ibagué (Colombia), Asuncion (Paraguay), Santiago (Chile) and Buenos Aires (Argentina) were sampled for several coat genes. The results obtained were as follows: (1) there was a strong genetic resemblance between several Hispanic American cat populations (especially, those of Buenos Aires, San José and the two Colombian populations studied) and those from South Western United States (California, Texas and Colorado), which adds support to the suspicion that these populations probably have a common origin; (2) The cat population of Santiago (Chile), contrarily to the other Hispanic American populations studied, showed a strong genetic resemblance with some Anglo North American populations; and (3) The l (long hair) and d (dilution) alleles showed systematic higher frequencies in the Hispanic American populations than those observed in Spain. Although the Hispanic American populations were not identical to the current Spanish populations (with the exception of Asuncion), this historic genetic experiment was very different to that found for the British populations and their overseas colonies.     

Population-genetic structure of Dolly varden (Salvelinus malma Walbaum) from Southeastern Sakhalin and Southern Kuril islands

The genetic structure of Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma Walbaum) populations from six rivers of southeastern Sakhalin and six rivers of the Kuril Islands was examined using electrophoretic, analysis of 22 enzyme systems encoded by 45 loci. In all populations, mean heterozygosities (0.044-0.105), mean numbers of alleles per locus (1.15-1.52), and proportions of polymorphic loci (18.2-39.4%) were estimated for all loci that had clear resolution. Highly significant heterogeneity of allele frequencies was detected among populations of both Sakhalin and the Kuril islands. By means of cluster analysis and multidimentional scaling, all populations were divided into the Sakhalin and Kuril groups. Within the groups, no association of genetic similarity with geographic distance between populations was observed. Although the average genetic diversity was similar in these regions, the relative interpopulation diversity was almost three times higher in the Kuril (17.6%) than in the Sakhalin (6.5%) groups. In all, the proportion of genetic diversity between regions (8.4%) was somewhat lower than the proportion of mean interpopulation diversity (11.3%). In small populations isolated from the sea, genetic variation was lower than in nonisolated populations. Allozyme differences between the northern and the southern forms of Dolly Varden are discussed.     

Genetic relationships among some new cat populations sampled in Europe: A spatial autocorrelation analysis

The allelic frequencies of nine Mendelizing genetic characteristics that control coat colour, tabby and length and some skeletal abnormalities have been studied in four feral domestic cat populations, two in the north of Catalonia (Girona and Roses & L’Estartit, northeastern Spain) and two Adriatic Italian populations (Rimini and Venice). Using different genetic and multivariate analyses (Nei’s and Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards’s genetic distances, phenograms and cladograms using different algorithms, strict consensus trees, canonical population, principal coordinates and nonmetric multidimensional scaling analyses), I show the genetic relationships between these populations and other Western European cat populations previously studied. In the Western European area comprising Catalonia, Italy, France and Great Britain, I found significant spatial structure for thet ^b, l andW alleles and for the average correlogram for the seven alleles studied as a whole using a spatial autocorrelation analysis. The genetic distance matrices between these European cat populations also showed a significant correlation with the geographical distance between these populations using Mantel’s test. These analyses showed that in each of these countries, local cat populations have characteristic genetic profiles which were different to neighbouring populations in nearby countries. At least in this area of Western Europe, the geographical distances between cat populations (although the gene flow can be relatively high) is an important factor which can explain differences in allele frequencies between these populations.     

Mammalian ear specializations in arid habitats: structural and functional evidence from sand cat (Felis margarita)

To test whether structural specializations of sand-cat ears are adaptations to their desert habitats we measured structural and acoustic features of their ears. The area of the external ear's pinna flange is similar to that of domestic cat. The dimensions of the ear canal are about twice domestic cat's, as is the volume of the middle-ear air space. The magnitude of the acoustic input-admittance at the tympanic membrane is about five times larger than that of domestic cat; both the middle-ear cavities and the ossicular chain contribute to the increase. Structure-based models suggest the acoustic admittance looking outward through the external ear is generally larger for sand cat than for domestic cat; the radiation power-efficiency is also larger in sand cat for frequencies below 2 kHz. Hearing sensitivity (estimated from measurements and model calculations) in sand cat is predicted to be about 8 dB greater than in domestic cat for frequencies below 2 kHz. Analysis of attenuation of sound in deserts implies that the increased sensitivity extends sand cat's hearing range beyond domestic cat by 0.4 km at 0.5 kHz. Thus, the structural specializations may provide habitat-specific survival value.     

Coat Gene Profiles of Several Cat Populations in Cuba,Costa Rica,Colombia, Paraguay,Chile and Argentina,and Possible Genetic Origins of These Cat Populations

Until the present moment, only a scarce number of Latin American domestic cat populations have been studied from a population genetic standpoint. For this reason, the cat populations of La Havana (Cuba), San José (Costa Rica), Bogotá and Ibagué (Colombia), Asunción (Paraguay), Santiago (Chile) and Buenos Aires (Argentina) were sampled for several coat genes. The results obtained were as follows: (1) there was a strong genetic resemblence between several Hispanic American cat populations (especially, those of Buenos Aires, San José and the two Colombian populations studied) and those from South Western United States (California, Texas and Colorado), which adds suport to the suspicion that these populations probably have a common origin; (2) The cat population of Santiago (Chile), contrarily to the other Hispanic American populations studied, showed a strong genetic resemblance with some Anglo North American populations; and (3) The I (long hair) and d(dilution) alleles showed systematic higher frequencies in the Hispanic American populations than those observed in Spain. Although the Hispanic American populations were not identical to the current Spanish populations (with the exception of Asuncion), this historic genetic experiment was very different to that found for the British populations and their overseas colonies.     

Population structure of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta in the Russian Far East, as revealed by microsatellite markers

Chum salmon populations in the Russian Far East have a complex multi-level genetic structure. A total of 53 samples (2446 fish) were grouped into five major regional clusters: the southern Kurils, eastern Sakhalin, southwestern Sakhalin, the Amur River, and a northern cluster. The northern cluster consists of chum salmon populations from a vast geographical region, including Chukotka, Kamchatka, and the continental coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. However, the degree of its genetic differentiation is low, 1.9%. In contrast, the southern population cluster exhibits much higher variation; for example, differentiation between chum salmon groups within Sakhalin Island reaches 4.6%, and the differentiation between Iturup Island and Sakhalin Island chum salmon is 7.7%. This suggests that southern populations of Asian chum salmon have a more ancient evolutionary history than northern populations. In contrast to the available data, our study indicates a great deviation of southwestern Sakhalin populations from other Sakhalin chum salmon. The Russian Far East chum salmon are genetically diverse and show statistically significant differentiation even within small geographic localities. This can be used to assign samples of unknown origins to definite local populations.     

Allele frequencies in a domestic cat population in a country area of northern Moravia,Czechoslovakia

The frequencies of alleles responsible for colour of cat fur were studied by method of house-to-house survey in a population of domestic cats in northern Moravia, Czechoslovakia.Of the total of 249 adult cats examined, 114 animals were males and 135 females, the sex ratio being 0.458. The following allelic frequencies were recorded: 0=0.016, a=0.646, t^b=0.288 and S=0.237. No other alleles were recorded in the phenotype. The results are compared with other populations in Czechoslovakia and other European countries.     

Microsatellite variability and differentiation of hatchery stocks of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum in Sakhalin

Variability at eight microsatellite loci was examined in five populations of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum from Sakhalin hatcheries. The population of Kalinino hatchery had the lowest heterozygosity and the lowest average number of alleles per locus. The populations examined exhibited significant differentiation, theta ST = 0.026 on average per locus. The maximum genetic differences were found between the populations of the Kalinino and the Ado-Tymovo hatcheries; the latter differs from the remaining populations also by the highest number and high frequencies of specific alleles. The genetic features of the Taranai hatchery population, observed at microsatellite loci, reflect its "mixed" origin.     

Microsatellite variability and differentiation of hatchery stocks of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum in Sakhalin

Variability at eight microsatellite loci was examined in five populations of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum from Sakhalin hatcheries. The population of Kalinino hatchery had the lowest heterozygosity and the lowest average number of alleles per locus. The populations examined exhibited significant differentiation, θ_ST = 0.026 on average per locus. The maximum genetic differences were found between the populations of the Kalinino and the Ado-Tymovo hatcheries; the latter differs from the remaining populations also by the highest number and high frequencies of specific alleles. The genetic features of the Taranai hatchery population, observed at microsatellite loci, reflect its “mixed” origin.     

Pelage mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations of Poland

To determine mutant allele frequencies, surveys of coat phenotypes of the domestic cat (Felis catus L.) were conducted from October 1982 to June 1985 in 23 urban and rural populations of Poland (N = 67-278). The seven gene loci studied included: sex-linked orange (O), agouti (A), tabby (T), full-color expression (D), long hair (L), piebald spotting (S), and dominant white (W). The mutant allele frequencies at these loci are: p(O) = 0-0.139, q(a) = 0.487-0.774, p(Ta) = 0, q(tb) = 0.132-0.451, q(d) = 0-0.332, q(l) = 0-0.220, p(S) = 0.242-0.620, and p(W) = 0. The coefficients of darkness estimated ranged from 0.51 to 0.75, showing no statistically significant differences between urban and rural populations. Of the gene loci studied, only A and S show such differences, with the incidence of alleles a and S being, respectively, significantly higher and lower for urban areas. The relatively great amount of genetic heterogeneity in the cat populations of Poland seems to reflect historical determinants. The Polish data are compared to those from Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, and geographic patterns in distribution for all of the mutant alleles studied are described.