A pilot study-genetic diversity and population structure of snow leopards of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, using molecular techniques.

Samreen Aruge,Fakhar-I-Abbas Fakhar-I-Abbas,Hafsa Batool,Fida M Khan,Safia Janjua

doi:10.7717/peerj.7672

Abstract

BackgroundThe Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges in Pakistan’s northern areas are a natural habitat of the snow leopard (Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia) but the ecological studies on this animal are scarce since it is human shy by nature and lives in difficult mountainous tracts. The pilot study is conducted to exploit the genetic diversity and population structure of the snow leopard in this selected natural habitat of the member of the wildcat family in Pakistan.MethodAbout 50 putative scat samples of snow leopard from five localities of Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan) along with a control sample of zoo maintained male snow leopard were collected for comparison. Significant quality and quantity of genomic DNA was extracted from scat samples using combined Zhang–phenol–chloroform method and successful amplification of cytochrome c oxidase I gene (190 bp) using mini-barcode primers, seven simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and Y-linked AMELY gene (200 bp) was done.ResultsCytochrome c oxidase I gene sequencing suggested that 33/50 (66%) scat samples were of snow leopard. AMELY primer suggested that out of 33 amplified samples, 21 (63.63%) scats were from male and 12 (36.36%) from female leopards. Through successful amplification of DNA of 25 out of 33 (75.75%) scat samples using SSR markers, a total of 68 alleles on seven SSR loci were identified, showing low heterozygosity, while high gene flow between population.DiscussionThe low gene flow rate among the population results in low genetic diversity causing decreased diversification. This affects the adaptability to climatic changes, thus ultimately resulting in decreased population size of the species.

Highlights

Snow leopard or ounce (Panthera uncia) has evolved in the mountainous ranges of Asia (Bonin et al, 2004)
A male snow leopard scat sample was provided by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department (Pakistan), which was used as control
(2) Phenol–Chloroform Method: Sample was washed by phosphate buffer saline (PBS), purified by phenol–chloroform and the genomic DNA (gDNA) was precipitated through ethanol or isopropanol (Wang et al, 2003; Pelaia et al, 2004; Glynn et al, 2004)

Summary

Introduction

Snow leopard or ounce (Panthera uncia) has evolved in the mountainous ranges of Asia (Bonin et al, 2004). Pakistan’s northern mountains are among its natural habitat, the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Chitral (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). It is considered an indicator of the health of the ecosystem (O’Brien et al, 1985) and an icon of. A pilot study—genetic diversity and population structure of snow leopards of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, using molecular techniques. The Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges in Pakistan’s northern areas are a natural habitat of the snow leopard The pilot study is conducted to exploit the genetic diversity and population structure of the snow leopard in this selected natural habitat of the member of the wildcat family in Pakistan. Discussion: The low gene flow rate among the population results in low genetic diversity causing decreased diversification. This affects the adaptability to climatic changes, resulting in decreased population size of the species

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