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Harper CK. Poaching Forensics: Animal Victims in the Courtroom. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2023; 11:269-286. [PMID: 36790886 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-070722-084803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Poaching and the international trade in wildlife are escalating problems driven by poverty and greed and coordinated by increasingly sophisticated criminal networks. Biodiversity loss, caused by habitat change, is exacerbated by poaching, and species globally are facing extinction. Forensic evidence underpins human and animal criminal investigations and is critical in criminal prosecution and conviction. The application of forensic tools, particularly forensic genetics, to animal case work continues to advance, providing the systems to confront the challenges of wildlife investigations. This article discusses some of these tools, their development, and implementations, as well as recent advances. Examples of cases are provided in which forensic evidence played a key role in obtaining convictions, thus laying the foundation for the future application of techniques to disrupt the criminal networks and safeguard biodiversity through species protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy K Harper
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa;
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Zhang X, Jamwal K, Distl O. Tracking footprints of artificial and natural selection signatures in breeding and non-breeding cats. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18061. [PMID: 36302822 PMCID: PMC9613910 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22155-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Stray non-breeding cats (stray) represent the largest heterogeneous cat population subject to natural selection, while populations of the Siamese (SIAM) and Oriental Shorthair (OSH) breeds developed through intensive artificial selection for aesthetic traits. Runs of homozygosity (ROH) and demographic measures are useful tools to discover chromosomal regions of recent selection and to characterize genetic diversity in domestic cat populations. To achieve this, we genotyped 150 stray and 26 household non-breeding cats (household) on the Illumina feline 63 K SNP BeadChip and compared them to SIAM and OSH. The 50% decay value of squared correlation coefficients (r2) in stray (0.23), household (0.25), OSH (0.24) and SIAM (0.25) corresponded to a mean marker distance of 1.12 Kb, 4.55 Kb, 62.50 Kb and 175.07 Kb, respectively. The effective population size (Ne) decreased in the current generation to 55 in stray, 11 in household, 9 in OSH and 7 in SIAM. In the recent generation, the increase in inbreeding per generation (ΔF) reached its maximum values of 0.0090, 0.0443, 0.0561 and 0.0710 in stray, household, OSH and SIAM, respectively. The genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH) based on ROH was calculated for three length categories. The FROH was between 0.014 (FROH60) and 0.020 (FROH5) for stray, between 0.018 (FROH60) and 0.024 (FROH5) for household, between 0.048 (FROH60) and 0.069 (FROH5) for OSH and between 0.053 (FROH60) and 0.073 (FROH5) for SIAM. We identified nine unique selective regions for stray through genome-wide analyses for regions with reduced heterozygosity based on FST statistics. Genes in these regions have previously been associated with reproduction (BUB1B), motor/neurological behavior (GPHN, GABRB3), cold-induced thermogenesis (DIO2, TSHR), immune system development (TSHR), viral carcinogenesis (GTF2A1), host immune response against bacteria, viruses, chemoattractant and cancer cells (PLCB2, BAHD1, TIGAR), and lifespan and aging (BUB1B, FGF23). In addition, we identified twelve unique selective regions for OSH containing candidate genes for a wide range of coat colors and patterns (ADAMTS20, KITLG, TYR, TYRO3-a MITF regulator, GPNMB, FGF7, RAB38) as well as congenital heart defects (PDE4D, PKP2) and gastrointestinal disorders (NLGN1, ALDH1B1). Genes in stray that represent unique selective events indicate, at least in part, natural selection for environmental adaptation and resistance to infectious disease, and should be the subject of future research. Stray cats represent an important genetic resource and have the potential to become a research model for disease resistance and longevity, which is why we recommend preserving semen before neutering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuying Zhang
- grid.412970.90000 0001 0126 6191Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kokila Jamwal
- grid.412970.90000 0001 0126 6191Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ottmar Distl
- grid.412970.90000 0001 0126 6191Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
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Bou N, Soutullo Á, Hernández D, Mannise N, González S, Bartesaghi L, Pereira J, Merino M, Espinosa C, Trigo TC, Cosse M. Population structure and gene flow of Geoffroy’s cat ( Leopardus geoffroyi) in the Uruguayan Savanna ecoregion. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Felids are among the species most threatened by habitat fragmentation resulting from land-use change. In the Uruguayan Savanna ecoregion, about 30% of natural habitats have been lost, large felids have been eradicated from most of the region, and the impact of anthropogenic threats over the smaller species that remain is unknown. To develop management strategies, it is important to enhance knowledge about species population structure and landscape connectivity, particularly when land-use change will continue and intensify in the next years. In this study, we evaluate the population structure and gene flow of Geoffroy’s cat in the Uruguayan Savanna ecoregion. We generated a matrix of 11 microsatellite loci for 70 individuals. Based on Bayesian approaches we found that within the Uruguayan Savanna, Geoffroy’s cat shows high levels of genetic variability and no population structure. However, we observed genetic differences between individuals from the Uruguayan Savanna and those from the contiguous ecoregion, the Argentinian Humid Pampa. Four first-generation migrants from Humid Pampa were identified in the Uruguayan Savanna, suggesting a stronger gene flow in the west-east direction. We detected a past bottleneck followed by a subsequent recovery in Geoffroy’s cat populations in both ecoregions. These results lay the groundwork to understand the population dynamics and conservation status of Geoffroy’s cat in the Uruguayan Savanna ecoregion, and provide baseline data to establish population monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Bou
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable-Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Avenida Italia 3318, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Álvaro Soutullo
- Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Ambiental, Centro Universitario Regional del Este, Universidad de la República, Calle Tacuarembó esquina Bvar. Artigas, 20000 Maldonado, Uruguay
| | - Daniel Hernández
- Laboratorio de Control Ambiental, Polo Educativo Tecnológico Arrayanes, Camino de los Arrayanes km 7, 20200 Piriápolis, Uruguay
| | - Natalia Mannise
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable-Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Avenida Italia 3318, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Susana González
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable-Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Avenida Italia 3318, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucía Bartesaghi
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable-Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Avenida Italia 3318, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier Pereira
- Grupo de Genética y Ecología en Conservación y Biodiversidad, División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Angel Gallardo 470, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Argentina
| | - Mariano Merino
- Centro de Bioinvestigaciones, Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, CICPBA, Monteagudo 2772, Pergamino, Provincia de Buenos Aires, B2700KIZ, Argentina
| | - Caroline Espinosa
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, prédio 43435, Bairro Agronomia, 91501-970Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tatiane C Trigo
- Setor de Mastozoologia, Museu de Ciências Naturais, Secretaria de Meio Ambiente e Infraestrutura, Rua Dr. Salvador França, 1427, CEP 90.690-000 - Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariana Cosse
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Genética, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable-Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Avenida Italia 3318, 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
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Pistorius AMA, Blokker I. Statistical analysis in support of maintaining a healthy traditional Siamese cat population. Genet Sel Evol 2021; 53:6. [PMID: 33407084 PMCID: PMC7789816 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-020-00596-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background For many years, breeders of companion animals have applied inbreeding or line breeding to transfer desirable genetic traits from parents to their offspring. Simultaneously, this resulted in a considerable spread of hereditary diseases and phenomena associated with inbreeding depression. Results Our cluster analysis of kinship and inbreeding coefficients suggests that the Thai or traditional Siamese cat could be considered as a subpopulation of the Siamese cat, which shares common ancestors, although they are considered as separate breeds. In addition, model-based cluster analysis could detect regional differences between Thai subpopulations. We show that by applying optimal contribution selection and simultaneously limiting the contributions by other breeds, the genetic diversity within subpopulations can be improved. Conclusion In principle, the European mainland Thai cat population can achieve a genetic diversity of about 26 founder genome equivalents, a value that could potentially sustain a genetically diverse population. However, reaching such a target will be difficult in the absence of a supervised breeding program. Suboptimal solutions can be obtained by minimisation of kinships within regional subpopulations. Exchanging animals between different regions on a small scale might be already quite useful to reduce the kinship, by achieving a potential diversity of 23 founder genome equivalents. However, contributions by other breeds should be minimised to preserve the original Siamese gene pool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur M A Pistorius
- 260 Centre for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, NL-6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Workgroup Traditional Siamese Cat Breeders in The Netherlands (WTSN), NL-1815 HC, Alkmaar, The Netherlands.
| | - Ineke Blokker
- Workgroup Traditional Siamese Cat Breeders in The Netherlands (WTSN), NL-1815 HC, Alkmaar, The Netherlands
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Buckley RM, Gandolfi B, Creighton EK, Pyne CA, Bouhan DM, LeRoy ML, Senter DA, Gobble JR, Abitbol M, Lyons LA. Werewolf, There Wolf: Variants in Hairless Associated with Hypotrichia and Roaning in the Lykoi Cat Breed. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E682. [PMID: 32580512 PMCID: PMC7348984 DOI: 10.3390/genes11060682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of cat breeds have been developed via novelty selection on aesthetic, dermatological traits, such as coat colors and fur types. A recently developed breed, the lykoi (a.k.a. werewolf cat), was bred from cats with a sparse hair coat with roaning, implying full color and all white hairs. The lykoi phenotype is a form of hypotrichia, presenting as a significant reduction in the average numbers of follicles per hair follicle group as compared to domestic shorthair cats, a mild to severe perifollicular to mural lymphocytic infiltration in 77% of observed hair follicle groups, and the follicles are often miniaturized, dilated, and dysplastic. Whole genome sequencing was conducted on a single lykoi cat that was a cross between two independently ascertained lineages. Comparison to the 99 Lives dataset of 194 non-lykoi cats suggested two variants in the cat homolog for Hairless (HR) (HR lysine demethylase and nuclear receptor corepressor) as candidate causal gene variants. The lykoi cat was a compound heterozygote for two loss of function variants in HR, an exon 3 c.1255_1256dupGT (chrB1:36040783), which should produce a stop codon at amino acid 420 (p.Gln420Serfs*100) and, an exon 18 c.3389insGACA (chrB1:36051555), which should produce a stop codon at amino acid position 1130 (p.Ser1130Argfs*29). Ascertainment of 14 additional cats from founder lineages from Canada, France and different areas of the USA identified four additional loss of function HR variants likely causing the highly similar phenotypic hair coat across the diverse cats. The novel variants in HR for cat hypotrichia can now be established between minor differences in the phenotypic presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reuben M. Buckley
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
| | - Barbara Gandolfi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
| | - Erica K. Creighton
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
| | - Connor A. Pyne
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
| | - Delia M. Bouhan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
| | - Michelle L. LeRoy
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
- Veterinary Allergy and Dermatology Clinic, LLC., Overland Park, KS 66210, USA
| | - David A. Senter
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
- Veterinary Allergy and Dermatology Clinic, LLC., Overland Park, KS 66210, USA
| | | | - Marie Abitbol
- NeuroMyoGène Institute, CNRS UMR 5310, INSERM U1217, Faculty of Medicine, Rockefeller, Claude Bernard Lyon I University, 69008 Lyon, France;
- VetAgro Sup, University of Lyon, Marcy-l’Etoile, 69280 Lyon, France
| | - Leslie A. Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; (R.M.B.); (B.G.); (E.K.C.); (C.A.P.); (D.M.B.); (M.L.L.); (D.A.S.)
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Abstract
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE The health of the cat is a complex interaction between its environment (nurture) and its genetics (nature). Over 70 genetic mutations (variants) have been defined in the cat, many involving diseases, structural abnormalities and clinically relevant health concerns. As more of the cat's genome is deciphered, less commonly will the term 'idiopathic' be used regarding the diagnosis of diseases and unique health conditions. State-of-the-art health care will include DNA profiling of the individual cat, and perhaps its tumor, to establish the best treatment approaches. Genetic testing and eventually whole genome sequencing should become routine diagnostics for feline health care. GLOBAL IMPORTANCE Cat breeds have disseminated around the world. Thus, practitioners should be aware of the breeds common to their region and the mutations found in those regional populations. Specific random-bred populations can also have defined genetic characteristics and mutations. AUDIENCE This review of 'the good, the bad and the ugly' DNA variants provides the current state of knowledge for genetic testing and genetic health management for cats. It is aimed at feline and general practitioners wanting to update and review the basics of genetics, what tests are available for cats and sources for genetic testing. The tables are intended to be used as references in the clinic. Practitioners with a high proportion of cat breeder clientele will especially benefit from the review. EVIDENCE BASE The data presented is extracted from peer-reviewed publications pertaining to mutation identification, and relevant articles concerning the heritable trait and/or disease. The author also draws upon personal experience and expertise in feline genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie A Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
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Miller SM, Harper CK, Bloomer P, Hofmeyr J, Funston PJ. Evaluation of microsatellite markers for populations studies and forensic identification of African lions (Panthera leo). J Hered 2014; 105:762-72. [PMID: 25151647 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esu054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The South African lion (Panthera leo) population is highly fragmented. One-third of its wild lions occur in small (<1000 km(2)) reserves. These lions were reintroduced from other areas of the species' historical range. Management practices on these reserves have not prioritized genetic provenance or heterozygosity. These trends potentially constrain the conservation value of these lions. To ensure the best management and long-term survival of these subpopulations as a viable collective population, the provenance and current genetic diversity must be described. Concurrently, poaching of lions to supply a growing market for lion bones in Asia may become a serious conservation challenge in the future. Having a standardized, validated method for matching confiscated lion parts with carcasses will be a key tool in investigating these crimes. We evaluated 28 microsatellites in the African lion using samples from 18 small reserves and 1 captive facility in South Africa, two conservancies in Zimbabwe, and Kruger National and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Parks to determine the loci most suited for population management and forensic genetic applications. Twelve microsatellite loci with a match probability of 1.1×10(-5) between siblings were identified for forensics. A further 10 could be added for population genetics studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Miller
- From the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Miller); the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa (Miller and Harper); the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa (Bloomer); the Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza 1350, South Africa (Hofmeyr); the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Funston); and the Lion Program, Panthera, New York, NY (Funston).
| | - Cindy K Harper
- From the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Miller); the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa (Miller and Harper); the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa (Bloomer); the Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza 1350, South Africa (Hofmeyr); the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Funston); and the Lion Program, Panthera, New York, NY (Funston)
| | - Paulette Bloomer
- From the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Miller); the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa (Miller and Harper); the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa (Bloomer); the Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza 1350, South Africa (Hofmeyr); the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Funston); and the Lion Program, Panthera, New York, NY (Funston)
| | - Jennifer Hofmeyr
- From the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Miller); the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa (Miller and Harper); the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa (Bloomer); the Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza 1350, South Africa (Hofmeyr); the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Funston); and the Lion Program, Panthera, New York, NY (Funston)
| | - Paul J Funston
- From the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Miller); the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa (Miller and Harper); the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Programme, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa (Bloomer); the Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Private Bag X402, Skukuza 1350, South Africa (Hofmeyr); the Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa (Funston); and the Lion Program, Panthera, New York, NY (Funston)
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Koch K, Algar D, Schwenk K. Population structure and management of invasive cats on an Australian Island. J Wildl Manage 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Koch
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F); Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Ecology and Evolution; Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main; Siesmayerstrasse 70 60323 Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - David Algar
- Department of Parks and Wildlife; Science Division; P.O. Box 51 Wanneroo 6065 Western Australia Australia
| | - Klaus Schwenk
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F); Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Molecular Ecology; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Universität Koblenz-Landau; 76829 Landau in der Pfalz Germany
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Johnson RN, Wilson-Wilde L, Linacre A. Current and future directions of DNA in wildlife forensic science. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2013; 10:1-11. [PMID: 24680123 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2013.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife forensic science may not have attained the profile of human identification, yet the scale of criminal activity related to wildlife is extensive by any measure. Service delivery in the arena of wildlife forensic science is often ad hoc, unco-ordinated and unregulated, yet many of those currently dedicated to wildlife conservation and the protection of endangered species are striving to ensure that the highest standards are met. The genetic markers and software used to evaluate data in wildlife forensic science are more varied than those in human forensic identification and are rarely standardised between species. The time and resources required to characterise and validate each genetic maker is considerable and in some cases prohibitive. Further, issues are regularly encountered in the construction of allelic databases and allelic ladders; essential in human identification studies, but also applicable to wildlife criminal investigations. Accreditation and certification are essential in human identification and are currently being strived for in the forensic wildlife community. Examples are provided as to how best practice can be demonstrated in all areas of wildlife crime analysis and ensure that this field of forensic science gains and maintains the respect it deserves. This review is aimed at those conducting human identification to illustrate how research concepts in wildlife forensic science can be used in the criminal justice system, as well as describing the real importance of this type of forensic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Johnson
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics, Science and Learning Division, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Linzi Wilson-Wilde
- Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency - National Institute of Forensic Science, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Adrian Linacre
- School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia
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Holmes JC, Holmer SG, Ross P, Buntzman AS, Frelinger JA, Hess PR. Polymorphisms and tissue expression of the feline leukocyte antigen class I loci FLAI-E, FLAI-H, and FLAI-K. Immunogenetics 2013; 65:675-89. [PMID: 23812210 PMCID: PMC3777221 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-013-0711-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell immunosurveillance for intracellular pathogens, such as viruses, is controlled by classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ia molecules, and ideally, these antiviral T-cell populations are defined by the specific peptide and restricting MHC allele. Surprisingly, despite the utility of the cat in modeling human viral immunity, little is known about the feline leukocyte antigen class I complex (FLAI). Only a few coding sequences with uncertain locus origin and expression patterns have been reported. Of 19 class I genes, three loci--FLAI-E, FLAI-H, and FLAI-K--are predicted to encode classical molecules, and our objective was to evaluate their status by analyzing polymorphisms and tissue expression. Using locus-specific, PCR-based genotyping, we amplified 33 FLAI-E, FLAI-H, and FLAI-K alleles from 12 cats of various breeds, identifying, for the first time, alleles across three distinct loci in a feline species. Alleles shared the expected polymorphic and invariant sites in the α1/α2 domains, and full-length cDNA clones possessed all characteristic class Ia exons. Alleles could be assigned to a specific locus with reasonable confidence, although there was evidence of potentially confounding interlocus recombination between FLAI-E and FLAI-K. Only FLAI-E, FLAI-H, and FLAI-K origin alleles were amplified from cDNAs of multiple tissue types. We also defined hypervariable regions across these genes, which permitted the assignment of names to both novel and established alleles. As predicted, FLAI-E, FLAI-H, and FLAI-K fulfill the major criteria of class Ia genes. These data represent a necessary prerequisite for studying epitope-specific antiviral CD8+ T-cell responses in cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Holmes
- Immunology Program, and Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Savannah G. Holmer
- Immunology Program, and Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter Ross
- Immunology Program, and Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Adam S. Buntzman
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey A. Frelinger
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Paul R. Hess
- Immunology Program, and Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
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