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- Title
Possible Shifts in the Genetic Diversity of Red-crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis) in Hokkaido, Japan: Indications of Continental Gene Flow.
- Authors
Dong, Wenjing; Tomita, Kai; Sawada, Akira; Hasebe, Makoto; Inoue, Masako; Momose, Kunikazu; Nakamura, Tatsuro; Teraoka, Hiroki
- Abstract
Simple Summary: The red-crowned cranes consist of two populations: continental (Far East Eurasia) and island (Hokkaido, Japan) cranes. It was once thought that these two populations lived independently. Having recovered from near extinction more than a century ago, the island population in Hokkaido, Japan, now exhibits very low genetic diversity, raising concerns about potentially devastating effects from infectious diseases. In 2018, a possible mating between a continental male and an island female was observed in northern Hokkaido. This study investigates their offspring or their blood relatives by examining the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in cranes from northern and southeastern Hokkaido between 2008 and 2022. We identified 58 MHC types based on nucleotide sequences. MHC types from the possible continental male were predominantly found in cranes from northern Hokkaido. Genetic analysis also suggested clear population differentiation between northern and southeastern Hokkaido. The results suggest that genetic traits from the continental population have been integrated into the Hokkaido cranes, particularly in the northern population. This genetic exchange may improve the disease resistance and environmental adaptability of the Hokkaido crane population, providing valuable insights for conservation efforts. Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) consist of two distinct groups: the continental population and the island population. The island population, localized in Hokkaido, Japan, exhibits very low genetic diversity due to its rapid recovery from the brink of extinction. Our previous research in 2018 highlighted a possible mating between a male from the continental population, with the Gj5 haplotype, and a female from the island population, with the Gj2 haplotype, at Hitominuma Sawmp shore in northern Hokkaido. The present study attempted to unravel the distribution of their offspring by examining the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of this mixed breeding pair compared with samples collected from cranes in northern and southeastern Hokkaido between 2008 and 2022. The analysis identified 55 MHC types, including 10 known types in a dataset of 89 crane samples, based on amino acid sequences. A total of 58 MHC types were recognized, based on nucleotide sequences, as there were many cases in which the same amino acid sequence had different nucleotide sequences. The five DNA types of MHC in the Hitominuma Swamp male were predominantly identified in eight cranes from northern Hokkaido and one chick from southeastern Hokkaido. In addition, population genetic analysis, based on insertion/deletion (InDel) polymorphisms, indicates distinct population differentiation between the northern and southeastern regions of Hokkaido. These results suggest that genetic contributions from the continental red-crowned crane population have already been integrated into the Hokkaido populations, with a more pronounced influence in northern Hokkaido.
- Subjects
HOKKAIDO (Japan); CRANES (Birds); GENETIC variation; MAJOR histocompatibility complex; GENE flow; POPULATION differentiation; AMINO acid sequence
- Publication
Animals (2076-2615), 2024, Vol 14, Issue 11, p1633
- ISSN
2076-2615
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ani14111633