基于粪便DNA的青藏高原雪豹种群调查和遗传多样性分析

基于非损伤性取样,利用mtDNA和微卫星DNA遗传标记,对来自青藏高原三江源国家级自然保护区、羌塘国家级自然保护区和甘肃党河南山地区等地的277 份疑似雪豹粪便样品进行了物种鉴定、个体识别和遗传多样性研究。结果显示：在190份成功扩增的mtDNA cyt b基因片段中,确定有89份属于雪豹;微卫星分析确定其属于48个不同的个体。在48个雪豹mtDNA cyt b基因片段中,共检测出13个多态性位点,定义了9个单倍型,单倍型多态性为0.776,核苷酸多态性为 1.50%, 9个单倍型的遗传距离为 0.009-0.058。研究表明在研究区域均存在雪豹分布,并具有一定的遗传多态性,地理距离分布较远的羌塘国家级自然保护区和甘肃党河南山地区的雪豹样品具有一定的遗传差异。     

川金丝猴mtDNA D-loop序列遗传多态性分析

采用非损伤性DNA分析技术,分析了甘肃白水江保护区、陕西长青保护区、湖北神农架保护区3个川金丝猴(Rhinopithecus roxellana)种群中的20份粪便样品和2份肌肉样品,成功扩增了mtDNA D-loop区部分片段。经过GenBank数据库的BLAST比对,确定了22份样品均来自川金丝猴,经过Clustal W和DNASP软件分析,在22份川金丝猴mtDNA D-loop区393bp中,共检测出54个多态性位点,分为17个单倍型,单倍型多态性(h)为0.965,核苷酸多态性(π)为3.10%。3个种群之间的遗传距离为0.003～0.098,核苷酸差异为0.08%～2.80%,表明所得到的川金丝猴样品中存在着较丰富的遗传多态性,种群间存在一定的遗传差异。     

云南地区恒河猴线粒体DNA控制区遗传多态性研究

目的从分子水平探讨云南地区恒河猴遗传多样性,为今后开展恒河猴遗传资源的保护及合理利用提供借鉴和背景资料。方法采用PCR直接测序法测定云南地区恒河猴96份样品的线粒体DNA控制区全序列,用Mege 4.0和DNA SP软件对变异位点数、简约信息位点数、单倍型、单倍型多样度、核苷酸多样度等遗传信息进行分析,基于邻接法（neighbor-joining,NJ）和最小进化法（minimum-evolution,ME）构建系统发生树。结果在96份样品中,共检测出了149个多态性位点,定义了46种单倍型,单倍型多样度（Hd）为0.968±0.007,核苷酸多样度（Pi）为0.020。结论云南地区恒河猴存在着较丰富的遗传多态性。     

三江源和祁连山国家公园雪豹种群的遗传结构分析

掌握遗传信息对濒危物种的保护和管理具有重要意义。本研究在我国雪豹重要分布区祁连山和三江源国家公园分别采集粪便样品,利用mtDNA的cyt b基因、微卫星多态性位点进行了雪豹的物种鉴定、个体识别和种群遗传结构评估。在采集286份疑似雪豹粪便样品中,成功的对86份雪豹样品进行了扩增鉴定,利用微卫星位点进行个体识别获得41只雪豹个体,其中祁连山国家公园26只,三江源国家公园15只。通过等位基因数、有效等位基因数、观测杂合度、期望杂合度、多态信息含量等指标进行种群遗传多样性评估,认为雪豹种群遗传多样性相对较低,但祁连山国家公园雪豹种群遗传多样性相对较高。STRUCTURE进行群体遗传结构分析表明,4个种群可以划分为3个遗传类群,祁连山国家公园的种群（YCW和QLS）与三江源国家种群(DC和SJ)的遗传差异,可能与种群间的地理隔离存在明显的相似性。     

基于粪便DNA的雪豹种群调查和遗传多样性

雪豹 (Panthera uncia) 是仅分布于亚洲高海拔山区的珍稀濒危猫科动物.本研究在印度西南部(Ladakh)、中国青海和蒙古国的南部(南Gobi)3个独立的雪豹分布区共采集109份粪便样品.应用线粒体DNA(mtDNA) cyt b基因特异性引物对109份粪便样品进行鉴定,发现有31份粪便来自雪豹,其中印度Ladakh、我国青海和蒙古国南Gobi的雪豹样品分别为17份、3份和11份.利用重新筛选设计的7对家猫(Felis catus)微卫星引物,对雪豹粪便样品进行了基因分型分析,结果发现在Ladakh和南Gobi检测到的雪豹粪便样品分别来自4只和5只不同的雪豹个体,而青海的样品则来自同一只雪豹;遗传多样性统计分析表明,蒙古国南Gobi的雪豹微卫星遗传多样性水平低于印度的Ladakh.研究结果表明了粪便DNA在雪豹种群监测和遗传多样性研究中的可行性.     

雪豹的微卫星DNA遗传多样性

利用微卫星DNA标记,对来自青海囊谦县、治多县以及甘肃阿克塞县3个地区的36份雪豹(Panthera uncia)粪便DNA样品进行了遗传多样性研究。结果显示,在8个微卫星位点上共检测到57个等位基因,有效等位基因数为2.190~5.488,平均每个位点的等位基因数为7.130,基因频率分布不均匀;期望杂合度为0.543~0.847,平均0.759;多态信息含量为0.458~0.829,平均0.722;表明这8个微卫星位点均为高度多态性位点,有较丰富的遗传多样性。3个样地雪豹居群之间的遗传距离与地理距离相关,地理距离最近的青海省囊谦县和治多县的雪豹居群遗传距离最小。根据雪豹平均遗传分化度Fst(0.053)、平均基因流(4.488)以及STRUCTURE聚类分析结果(当K=1时,ln P(D)值最大),推测3个居群间虽然有一定的遗传距离,但均来自同一个种群,暂无分化现象。     

利用非损伤性方法评估神农架保护区川金丝猴种群遗传多样性

湖北神农架国家级自然保护区是中国川金丝猴(Rhinopithecus roxellana)的重要分布区之一,为了更好地了解神农架川金丝猴种群遗传结构,并制定有效的保护对策,采集了该保护区2个川金丝猴种群126份样品,其中分布在大龙潭的人工补食种群粪便样品60份,分布在千家坪的一个小种群粪便样品63份、肌肉样品3份。通过应用线粒体DNA(mtDNA)引物和筛选出的9对近缘微卫星位点成功地进行了川金丝猴种群的遗传多样性和遗传结构分析,同时使用Y染色体相关标记方法进行性别鉴定。结果显示:在24份川金丝猴mtDNA D-loop区401bp序列中,共检测出27个变异位点,定义了20个单倍型,单倍型多样性(h)为0.9820,核苷酸多样性(π)为0.0129;其中有9对微卫星位点能够在117份粪便样品DNA中稳定扩增,2对位点可能偏离Hardy-Weinberg平衡,平均有效等位基因数(Ne)为3.85,遗传杂合度(Ho)为0.7450;多态信息含量(PIC)为0.5950。使用Y染色体标记方法,在58个特有的基因型中检测到18个雄性和40个雌性川金丝猴。微卫星标记和mtDNA D-loop区基因序列均表明神农架川金丝猴存在较丰富的遗传多样性,同时2个取样点川金丝猴种群间出现了明显的遗传分化。     

中国内蒙古鄂伦春族线粒体DNA高变区Ⅰ和高变区Ⅱ遗传多态性

收集50份鄂伦春族无关人群外周血样本, 用ABI PRISM377测序仪对其mtDNA HVRⅠ和HVRⅡ进行测序, 计算多态性位点数、单倍型数目、单倍型频率、平均核苷酸差异数目等多态性指标; 结合已发表的其他民族mtDNA遗传资料, 根据Nei法计算鄂伦春族与各群体之间的遗传距离, 进行聚类分析, 绘制系统发生树。鄂伦春族群体mtDNA两个高变区与CRS序列比对, 分别发现52和24个多态性位点, 分别界定了38和27种单倍型, 单倍型多态性分别为0.964±0.018和0.929±0.019; 平均核苷酸差异分别为7.379和2.408; 用HVRⅠ序列多态性数据计算Fst和dA两种遗传距离, 相关系数r为0.993(P<0.01); 基于HVRⅠ序列的系统树显示鄂伦春族与中国台湾、南方汉族和中国香港人群遗传距离较近, 与北方汉族、蒙古族及其国外人群遗传距离相对较远。我国鄂伦春族人群mtDNA具有相对独特的遗传特征, 其遗传多态性和个体识别力较高, 可用于民族起源、迁徙、法医学个体识别等领域研究。     

中国部分牦牛品种线粒体DNA遗传多态性研究

采用DNA测序技术首次测定了中国5个牦牛品种(类群)35个个体线粒体DNA控制区(D loop)全序列,结果表明:牦牛线粒体DNA控制区全序列长度为891～895bp,T、C、A、G4种核苷酸的含量分别为28.5%、25.3%、32.5%、13.7%。检测到55个变异位点,约占分析位点总数的6.16%,核甘酸变异类型有转换、颠换、插入/缺失4种。确定了24种单倍型,单倍型H4和H6为中国牦牛的主体单倍型,各单倍型在品种间分布不平衡,所测定的5个牦牛品种(类群)单倍型多样度平均为0.9697±0.0180,说明我国牦牛D loop单倍型类型丰富。牦牛品种内各序列平均核苷酸差异数为10.936,核苷酸多样度为1.231%;牦牛品种间核苷酸分歧度(Dxy)约为0.760%～2.155%,品种间双参数距离范围为0.000～0.029,表明我国牦牛遗传多态性丰富。对D环序列变异的分子方差分析和单倍型网络关系图的结果表明:我国牦牛品种间出现显著的遗传分化,牦牛单倍型网络关系图聚为2个聚类簇,表明我国牦牛有2个母系来源,或者有2个主要的驯化地点。     

基于分子宏条形码分析四川卧龙国家级自然保护区雪豹的食性

作为中亚和青藏高原山地生态系统中的顶级捕食者, 雪豹(Panthera uncia)对于维持食物网结构和生态系统稳定性有重要作用。了解雪豹的食性组成和变化对于理解其生态系统功能和物种间相互作用有重要意义。以往的雪豹食性分析多基于对其粪便中食物残渣的形态学鉴定, 但准确度受人员经验和主观因素影响较大。邛崃山脉位于雪豹分布区东南缘, 该区域的雪豹种群规模小且相对孤立, 研究匮乏。本研究基于非损伤性取样, 在邛崃山脉的卧龙国家级保护区采集疑似雪豹粪便样品38份, 首先提取粪便DNA, 并扩增线粒体DNA 16S rRNA基因片段进行分子物种鉴定, 确定其中22份为雪豹粪便样品。随后, 利用脊椎动物通用引物和雪豹特异性阻抑引物扩增粪便DNA中的食物成分, 并进行高通量测序, 分析雪豹食性构成。食性分析结果显示岩羊(Pseudois nayaur)是卧龙地区雪豹最主要的食物, 在67%的样品中均有检出。家牦牛(Bos grunniens)在33%的样品中出现, 也在雪豹食性中占较高比例。此外, 鼠兔(Ochotona spp.)和鸟类也在少量样品中发现。可见, 野生猎物是卧龙地区雪豹的主要食物资源; 与大世界大多数其他地区的雪豹食性相同, 野生大型有蹄类是雪豹最重要的食物。然而家畜(牦牛)在卧龙雪豹食谱中有相当高的占比, 显示该区域内可能存在较为严重的由雪豹捕食散养家畜引起的人兽冲突问题。     

Fresh is best: Accurate SNP genotyping from koala scats

Maintaining genetic diversity is a crucial component in conserving threatened species. For the iconic Australian koala, there is little genetic information on wild populations that is not either skewed by biased sampling methods (e.g., sampling effort skewed toward urban areas) or of limited usefulness due to low numbers of microsatellites used. The ability to genotype DNA extracted from koala scats using next‐generation sequencing technology will not only help resolve location sample bias but also improve the accuracy and scope of genetic analyses (e.g., neutral vs. adaptive genetic diversity, inbreeding, and effective population size). Here, we present the successful SNP genotyping (1272 SNP loci) of koala DNA extracted from scat, using a proprietary DArTseq^? protocol. We compare genotype results from two‐day‐old scat DNA and 14‐day‐old scat DNA to a blood DNA template, to test accuracy of scat genotyping. We find that DNA from fresher scat results in fewer loci with missing information than DNA from older scat; however, 14‐day‐old scat can still provide useful genetic information, depending on the research question. We also find that a subset of 209 conserved loci can accurately identify individual koalas, even from older scat samples. In addition, we find that DNA sequences identified from scat samples through the DArTseq^? process can provide genetic identification of koala diet species, bacterial and viral pathogens, and parasitic organisms.     

Food habits of the snow leopard Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775) in Baltistan, Northern Pakistan

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) inhabits the high, remote mountains of Pakistan from where very little information is available on prey use of this species. Our study describes the food habits of the snow leopard in the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges in Baltistan, Pakistan. Ninety-five putrid snow leopard scats were collected from four sites in Baltistan. Of these, 49 scats were genetically confirmed to have originated from snow leopards. The consumed prey was identified on the basis of morphological characteristics of hairs recovered from the scats. It was found that most of the biomass consumed (70%) was due to domestic livestock viz. sheep (23%), goat (16%), cattle (10%), yak (7%), and cattle?Cyak hybrids (14%). Only 30% of the biomass was due to wild species, namely Siberian ibex (21%), markhor (7%), and birds (2%). Heavy predation on domestic livestock appeared to be the likely cause of conflict with the local inhabitants. Conservation initiatives should focus on mitigating this conflict by minimizing livestock losses.     

Molecular scatology as a tool to study diet: analysis of prey DNA in scats from captive Steller sea lions

The DNA of prey present in animal scats may provide a valuable source of information for dietary studies. We conducted a captive feeding trial to test whether prey DNA could be reliably detected in scat samples from Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). Two sea lions were fed a diet of fish (five species) and squid (one species), and DNA was extracted from the soft component of collected scats. Most of the DNA obtained came from the predator, but prey DNA could be amplified using prey-specific primers. The four prey species fed in consistent daily proportions throughout the trial were detected in more than 90% of the scat DNA extractions. Squid and sockeye salmon, which were fed as a relatively small percentage of the daily diet, were detected as reliably as the more abundant diet items. Prey detection was erratic in scats collected when the daily diet was fed in two meals that differed in prey composition, suggesting that prey DNA is passed in meal specific pulses. Prey items that were removed from the diet following one day of feeding were only detected in scats collected within 48 h of ingestion. Proportions of fish DNA present in eight scat samples (evaluated through the screening of clone libraries) were roughly proportional to the mass of prey items consumed, raising the possibility that DNA quantification methods could provide semi-quantitative diet composition data. This study should be of broad interest to researchers studying diet since it highlights an approach that can accurately identify prey species and is not dependent on prey hard parts surviving digestion.     

Non-invasive genetic identification of small mammal species using real-time polymerase chain reaction

DNA identification of non-invasive samples is a potentially useful tool for monitoring small mammal species. Here we describe a novel method for identifying five small mammal species: wood mouse, bank vole, common shrew, pygmy shrew and water shrew. Species-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction primers were designed to amplify fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from hair and scat samples. We also amplified nuclear DNA from scats, demonstrating their potential as a source of DNA for population genetic studies.     

Balancing sample accumulation and DNA degradation rates to optimize noninvasive genetic sampling of sympatric carnivores

Noninvasive genetic sampling, or noninvasive DNA sampling (NDS), can be an effective monitoring approach for elusive, wide‐ranging species at low densities. However, few studies have attempted to maximize sampling efficiency. We present a model for combining sample accumulation and DNA degradation to identify the most efficient (i.e. minimal cost per successful sample) NDS temporal design for capture–recapture analyses. We use scat accumulation and faecal DNA degradation rates for two sympatric carnivores, kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) and coyote (Canis latrans) across two seasons (summer and winter) in Utah, USA, to demonstrate implementation of this approach. We estimated scat accumulation rates by clearing and surveying transects for scats. We evaluated mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear (nDNA) DNA amplification success for faecal DNA samples under natural field conditions for 20 fresh scats/species/season from <1–112 days. Mean accumulation rates were nearly three times greater for coyotes (0.076 scats/km/day) than foxes (0.029 scats/km/day) across seasons. Across species and seasons, mtDNA amplification success was ≥95% through day 21. Fox nDNA amplification success was ≥70% through day 21 across seasons. Coyote nDNA success was ≥70% through day 21 in winter, but declined to <50% by day 7 in summer. We identified a common temporal sampling frame of approximately 14 days that allowed species to be monitored simultaneously, further reducing time, survey effort and costs. Our results suggest that when conducting repeated surveys for capture–recapture analyses, overall cost‐efficiency for NDS may be improved with a temporal design that balances field and laboratory costs along with deposition and degradation rates.     

Impacts of sampling location within a faeces on DNA quality in two carnivore species

We investigated the influence of sampling location within a faeces on DNA quality by sampling from both the outside and inside of 25 brown bear (Ursus arctos) scats and the side and the tip of 30 grey wolf (Canis lupus) scats. The outside of the bear scat and side of the wolf scat had significantly lower nuclear DNA microsatellite allelic dropout error rates (U. arctos: P = 0.017; C. lupus: P = 0.025) and significantly higher finalized genotyping success rates (U. arctos: P = 0.017; C. lupus: P = 0.012) than the tip and inside of the scat. A review of the faecal DNA literature indicated that <45% of studies report the sampling location within a faeces indicating that this methodological consideration is currently underappreciated. Based on our results, we recommend sampling from the side of canid scats and the outside portion of ursid scats to obtain higher quality DNA samples. The sampling location within a faeces should be carefully considered and reported as it can directly influence laboratory costs and efficiency, as well as the ability to obtain reliable genotypes.