Bayesian Analysis Of Population Structure Research Articles

Genetic variation and population structure of the rice accessions maintained in the AfricaRice genebank using DArTseq

AbstractUtilizing the full potential of rice collections mainly depends on an in‐depth exploration and understanding of the vast diversity in its germplasm. The AfricaRice genebank holds the largest collection of rice germplasm originating from the African continent. In the present study, we comprehensively characterized a collection of 9013 accessions, including Oryza barthii A. Chev., Oryza glaberrima Steud., Oryza longistaminata A. Chev. & Roehr., Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica, and Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica, for genetic diversity and population structure using genotyping‐by‐sequencing through DArTseq analysis. We identified 27,718 high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphism markers after the genotypic data were filtered. Based on the analyses, the collection has extensive genetic diversity, and the average genetic distance of the entire set was 0.267 (range 0.001–0.469), with 45.1% of pairs of accessions being highly distant and 40.1% moderately distant from each other. Neighbor‐joining tree, principal component, and Bayesian population structure analyses clustered the 9013 accessions into six groups, based roughly on their taxonomic and biological status. The first, second, and third groups consisted of accessions belonging to O. glaberrima, O. barthii, and O. longistaminata, respectively. The fourth, fifth, and sixth groups were improved‐indica, japonica, and traditional‐indica accessions, respectively. The highest value of genetic variance proportion (PhiPT) was found in the species group followed by groups based on cluster analysis and on Bayesian population structure at K = 6. These results allow us to better understand the genetic diversity present in 9013 rice accessions maintained in the AfricaRice genebank and offer a valuable tool for pre breeding, breeding, and further genetic applications.

Exon-Enriched Set of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Shows Associations with Climate in European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

European beech is an ecologically and commercially important species, which is expected to decline in several regions because of heat and drought stress associated with climate change. Knowledge of the genetic basis of the adaptation to climate is needed to guide assisted migration. Genetic variation at 1704 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) resulting from ddRAD sequencing, primarily located in gene exons, was studied in 181 specimens representing 123 populations distributed over most of the whole range. Bayesian analysis of population structure yielded two clusters exhibiting a clear longitudinal cline and correlated with indicators of low temperatures and temperature fluctuation. Five SNPs were significantly associated with climatic variables related primarily to heat and temperature ranges. Two alternative explanations are offered for the observed response patterns: (i) differential sensitivity to heat and (ii) response mediated by vegetative phenology.

Revealing the Diversity and Complex Relationships of Croatian Olive Germplasm.

Olive growing in Croatia has a long tradition and is of great economic and social impact. The present study includes a set of 108 tree samples (88 samples corresponding to 60 presumed cultivars and 20 trees of unnamed ones) collected from 27 groves in the entire olive growing area, and is the most comprehensive survey to be conducted in Croatia. The genetic diversity, relationships, and structures of olive plants were studied using eight microsatellite loci. All loci were polymorphic and revealed a total of 90 alleles. A total of 74 different genotypes were detected that were subjected to further diversity and genetic relationship studies. The Fitch-Margoliash tree and Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed a complex relationship between the identified olive genotypes, which were clustered into three gene pools, indicating different origins of Croatian olive germplasms. Excluding the redundant germplasms, 44 different genotypes among the sampled trees of well-known cultivars and 16 new local germplasms were identified. In addition, we provide the etymology of 46 vernacular names, which confirms that the vast majority of traditional Croatian cultivars have common and widespread names. The results presented herein underline the importance of safeguarding local cultivars and conducting continuous surveys.

Impact of Homologous Recombination on Core Genome Evolution and Host Adaptation of Pectobacterium parmentieri.

Homologous recombination is a major force mechanism driving bacterial evolution, host adaptability, and acquisition of novel virulence traits. Pectobacterium parmentieri is a plant bacterial pathogen distributed worldwide, primarily affecting potatoes, by causing soft rot and blackleg diseases. The goal of this investigation was to understand the impact of homologous recombination on the genomic evolution of P. parmentieri. Analysis of P. parmentieri genomes using Roary revealed a dynamic pan-genome with 3,742 core genes and over 55% accessory genome variability. Bayesian population structure analysis identified 7 lineages, indicating species heterogeneity. ClonalFrameML analysis displayed 5,125 recombination events, with the lineage 4 exhibiting the highest events. fastGEAR analysis identified 486 ancestral and 941 recent recombination events ranging from 43 bp to 119 kb and 36 bp to 13.96 kb, respectively, suggesting ongoing adaptation. Notably, 11% (412 genes) of the core genome underwent recent recombination, with lineage 1 as the main donor. The prevalence of recent recombination (double compared to ancient) events implies continuous adaptation, possibly driven by global potato trade. Recombination events were found in genes involved in vital cellular processes (DNA replication, DNA repair, RNA processing, homeostasis, and metabolism), pathogenicity determinants (type secretion systems, cell-wall degrading enzymes, iron scavengers, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), flagellum, etc.), antimicrobial compounds (phenazine and colicin) and even CRISPR-Cas genes. Overall, these results emphasize the potential role of homologous recombination in P. parmentieri's evolutionary dynamics, influencing host colonization, pathogenicity, adaptive immunity, and ecological fitness.

Genetic analysis based on next generation sequencing of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi isolated from horses imported into Japan.

Strangles is a globally widespread, commonly diagnosed and important infectious disease of equids caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. We performed whole genome sequencing of 19 S. equi isolates collected from imported horses at the Japanese border. Of these isolates, 15 isolates were obtained from clinical cases and 4 were from subclinical cases. The 19 isolates were grouped into 3 Bayesian analysis of population structure (BAPS) groups by the core genome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis corresponding to exporting country, SeM typing, or exporter of the horses. The 19 isolates possessed same pathogenic genes regardless of clinical status in imported horses and no antimicrobial resistance genes. The disease status of the horses may rather reflect the prior exposure of animals with sub-clinical infection to S. equi.

Are there hybrid zones in Fagus sylvatica L. sensu lato?

The complex of beech taxa in western Eurasia (Fagus sylvatica L. s.l.) represents one of the most widespread broad-leaved trees in the temperate forests of the northern hemisphere. Two subspecies are generally recognized, F. sylvatica ssp. sylvatica in Europe and F. sylvatica ssp. orientalis in southwestern Asia, but several strongly differentiated regional populations were identified within this complex. To reveal geographical and genomic patterns of hybridization and introgression, genetic variation at 6789 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) resulting from ddRAD sequencing was studied in 288 specimens representing 207 populations distributed across the whole range. Two clusters resulting from a Bayesian analysis of population Structure well coincided with the subspecies, while increasing the number of clusters allowed to distinguish divergent lineages within subspecies. Two zones of potential hybridization between such lineages were analyzed: western Balkans at the contact of both subspecies and the Alpine area at the contact of populations coming from different glacial refugia. Geographical distribution of hybrid indices in the Balkan hybrid zone indicates asymmetric gene flow preferentially directed from F. orientalis to F. sylvatica. Eight SNPs showed a significant shift of genomic cline centers, seven of them toward excess F. orientalis ancestry, suggesting that introgression irregularly affects different regions of the beech genome. On the other hand, no genomic cline outliers were found in the Alpine hybrid zone. Implications for assisted gene flow are shortly discussed.

Insights into historic and genetic relationships of diverse common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) genotypes based on whole-genome profiling

AbstractCommon lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.) is a popular landscaping plant. Our aim was to obtain a large set of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, to reveal the precise identities of the investigated S. vulgaris accessions, and to discover genetic relationships among them. The studied plant material included local Finnish, previously unidentified accessions, known reference cultivars, and so-called historical accessions i.e., old shrubs growing in historic cultural landscapes. We intended to verify cultivar names for some valuable local common lilac accessions and to provide insights into the history of common lilac cultivation in Finland. In the analyses, we used a set of 15,007 SNP markers. First, polymorphic information contents were calculated (mean 0.190, range 0.012–0.500 per marker). Then, to investigate genetic relationships among genotypes, a phylogenetic tree was constructed, and a principal coordinate analysis was conducted. A Bayesian analysis of population structure was performed to determine the number and distribution of genetic clusters among samples. Genetic marker data combined with existing historical and phenotypic knowledge revealed novel information on the unidentified cultivars and on the genetic relationships among studied accessions and solved the arrival and early history of common lilac in Finland. Overall, such comprehensive genomic characterization and deep understanding of genetic relationships of S. vulgaris can be used when utilizing present cultivars and developing new ones in future breeding programs.

Whole genome analysis of Rhizopus species causing rhino-cerebral mucormycosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mucormycosis is an acute invasive fungal disease (IFD) seen mainly in immunocompromised hosts and in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. The incidence of mucormycosis increased exponentially in India during the SARS-CoV-2 (henceforth COVID-19) pandemic. Since there was a lack of data on molecular epidemiology of Mucorales causing IFD during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, whole genome analysis of the Rhizopus spp. isolated during this period was studied along with the detection of mutations that are associated with antifungal drug resistance. A total of 50 isolates of Rhizopus spp. were included in this prospective study, which included 28 from patients with active COVID-19 disease, 9 from patients during the recovery phase, and 13 isolates from COVID-19-negative patients. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for the isolates, and the de novo assembly was done with the Spades assembler. Species identification was done by extracting the ITS gene sequence from each isolate followed by searching Nucleotide BLAST. The phylogenetic trees were made with extracted ITS gene sequences and 12 eukaryotic core marker gene sequences, respectively, to assess the genetic distance between our isolates. Mutations associated with intrinsic drug resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole were analyzed. All 50 patients presented to the hospital with acute fungal rhinosinusitis. These patients had a mean HbA1c of 11.2%, and a serum ferritin of 546.8 ng/mL. Twenty-five patients had received steroids. By WGS analysis, 62% of the Rhizopus species were identified as R. delemar. Bayesian analysis of population structure (BAPS) clustering categorized these isolates into five different groups, of which 28 belong to group 3, 9 to group 5, and 8 to group 1. Mutational analysis revealed that in the CYP51A gene, 50% of our isolates had frameshift mutations along with 7 synonymous mutations and 46% had only synonymous mutations, whereas in the CYP51B gene, 68% had only synonymous mutations and 26% did not have any mutations. WGS analysis of Mucorales identified during and after the COVID-19 pandemic gives insight into the molecular epidemiology of these isolates in our community and establishes newer mechanisms for intrinsic azole resistance.

Genome-wide association analysis of tan spot disease resistance in durum wheat accessions from Tunisia.

Background: Tunisia harbors a rich collection of unexploited durum wheat landraces (Triticum durum ssp. durum) that have been gradually replaced by elite cultivars since the 1970s. These landraces represent an important potential source for broadening the genetic background of elite durum wheat cultivars and for the introgression of novel genes for key traits, including disease resistance, into these cultivars. Methods: In this study, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of a core collection of 235 durum wheat accessions consisting mainly of landraces. The high phenotypic and genetic diversity of the fungal pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (cause of tan spot disease of wheat) in Tunisia allowed the assessment of the accessions for tan spot resistance at the adult plant stage under field conditions over three cropping seasons. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using a 90k SNP array. Results: Bayesian population structure analysis with 9191 polymorphic SNP markers classified the accessions into two groups, where groups 1 and 2 included 49.79% and 31.49% of the accessions, respectively, while the remaining 18.72% were admixtures. Principal coordinate analysis, the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean and the neighbor-joining method clustered the accessions into three to five groups. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that 76% of the genetic variation was among individuals and 23% was between individuals. Genome-wide association analyses identified 26 SNPs associated with tan spot resistance and explained between 8.1% to 20.2% of the phenotypic variation. The SNPs were located on chromosomes 1B (1 SNP), 2B (4 SNPs), 3A (2 SNPs), 3B (2 SNPs), 4A (2 SNPs), 4B (1 SNP), 5A (2 SNPs), 5B (4 SNPs), 6A (5 SNPs), 6B (2 SNPs), and 7B (1 SNP). Four markers, one on each of chromosomes 1B, and 5A, and two on 5B, coincided with previously reported SNPs for tan spot resistance, while the remaining SNPs were either novel markers or closely related to previously reported SNPs. Eight durum wheat accessions were identified as possible novel sources of tan spot resistance that could be introgressed into elite cultivars. Conclusion: The results highlighted the significance of chromosomes 2B, 5B, and 6A as genomic regions associated with tan spot resistance.

Diversity and distribution of mitochondrial DNA in non-Austronesian-speaking Taiwanese individuals

Many studies have described the diversity of Austronesian-speaking Taiwanese people to shed more light on their origin and their connection with the “Out of Taiwan” migrations. However, the genetic relationship between the non-Austronesian-speaking groups of Taiwan and the populations of continental Asia is still unclear. Here, we studied the diversity of mtDNA in 767 non-Austronesian speakers from 16 locations in Taiwan using partial sequencing obtained from the hypervariable segment I (HVS-I) and coding regions 8,001-9,000 and 9.801–10,900 and 85 complete mtDNA genome sequences. Bayesian analysis of population structure was used to examine their relationship with over 3662 individuals representing indigenous groups of Taiwan, continental East Asia, Japan, and Island Southeast Asia. The whole analysis identified 278 haplotypes. Complete genomes revealed 62 novel subhaplogroups, of which 31 were exclusive to Taiwan. Estimates of coalescence times of all subhaplogroups showed peaks of diversification greater than 5.0 kya, likely characterizing gene flow from continental East Asian groups but not excluding in situ Taiwanese ancestry. Furthermore, a significant number of clades exclusive to non-Austronesian speakers of Taiwan (NAN_Tw) showed coalescence peaks between 1.0 and 2.6 kya, suggesting possible late Neolithic to early metal age settlements of NAN_Tw and local expansion in Taiwan.

Molecular Features and Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi Isolates from Strangles Cases in Indonesia

Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi ssp. equi (S. equi equi), is a highly infectious and frequent disease of equines worldwide. No data are available regarding the molecular epidemiology of strangles in Indonesia. This study aimed to characterize S. equi equi isolates obtained from suspected strangles cases in Indonesia in 2018. Isolates originated from seven diseased horses on four different farms located in three provinces of Indonesia. Whole genome sequences of these isolates were determined and used for seM typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and core genome MLS typing (cgMLST). Genomes were also screened for known antimicrobial resistance genes and genes encoding for the recombinant antigens used in the commercial Strangvac® subunit vaccine. All seven S. equi equi isolates from Indonesia belonged to ST179 and carried seM allele 166. Isolates differed from each other by only 2 to 14 cgSNPs and built an exclusive sub-cluster within the Bayesian Analysis of Population Structure (BAPS) cluster 2 (BAPS-2) of the S. equi equi cgMLST scheme. All isolates revealed predicted amino acid sequence identity to seven and high similarity to one of the eight antigen fragments contained in Strangvac®. Furthermore, all isolates were susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics penicillin G, ampicillin, and ceftiofur. Our data suggest that the horses from this study were affected by strains of the same novel sublineage within globally distributed BAPS-2 of S. equi equi. Nevertheless, penicillin G can be used as a first-choice antibiotic against these strains and Strangvac® may also be protective against Indonesian strains.

Phytochemicals and Their Correlation with Molecular Data in Micromeria and Clinopodium (Lamiaceae) Taxa.

A study of the phytochemical and molecular characteristics of ten Micromeria and six Clinopodium taxa (family Lamiaceae) distributed in the Balkan Peninsula was carried out. The phytochemicals detected in essential oils by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and molecular data amplified fragment length polymorphism were used to study the taxonomic relationships among the taxa and the correlations between phytochemical and molecular data. STRUCTURE analysis revealed three genetic groups, while Bayesian Analysis of Population Structure grouped the studied taxa into 11 clusters nested in the groups obtained by STRUCTURE. Principal components analysis performed with the 21 most represented compounds in the essential oils yielded results that were partly consistent with those obtained by STRUCTURE and neighbour-joining analyses. However, their geographic distributions did not support the genetic grouping of the studied taxa and populations. The Mantel test showed a significant correlation between the phytochemical and genetic data (r = 0.421, p < 0.001). Genetic distance explained 17.8% of the phytochemical distance between populations. The current taxonomic position of several of the studied taxa is yet to be satisfactorily resolved, and further studies are needed. Such future research should include nuclear and plastid DNA sequences from a larger sample of populations and individuals.

Evolution and dispersal of mitochondrial DNA haplogroup U5 in Northern Europe: insights from an unsupervised learning approach to phylogeography

BackgroundWe combined an unsupervised learning methodology for analyzing mitogenome sequences with maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetics to make detailed inferences about the evolution and diversification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroup U5, which appears at high frequencies in northern Europe.MethodsHaplogroup U5 mitogenome sequences were gathered from GenBank. The hierarchal Bayesian Analysis of Population Structure (hierBAPS) method was used to generate groups of sequences that were then projected onto a rooted maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree to visualize the pattern of clustering. The haplogroup statuses of the individual sequences were assessed using Haplogrep2.ResultsA total of 23 hierBAPS groups were identified, all of which corresponded to subclades defined in Phylotree, v.17. The hierBAPS groups projected onto the ML phylogeny accurately clustered all haplotypes belonging to a specific haplogroup in accordance with Haplogrep2. By incorporating the geographic source of each sequence and subclade age estimates into this framework, inferences about the diversification of U5 mtDNAs were made. Haplogroup U5 has been present in northern Europe since the Mesolithic, and spread in both eastern and western directions, undergoing significant diversification within Scandinavia. A review of historical and archeological evidence attests to some of the population interactions contributing to this pattern.ConclusionsThe hierBAPS algorithm accurately grouped mitogenome sequences into subclades in a phylogenetically robust manner. This analysis provided new insights into the phylogeographic structure of haplogroup U5 diversity in northern Europe, revealing a detailed perspective on the diversity of subclades in this region and their distribution in Scandinavian populations.

One plus one makes seven: Intricate phylogeographic patterns in Odontites vernus (Orobanchaceae: Rhinantheae) in the Iberian Peninsula

The Odontites vernus group is the most widespread of the genus Odontites, occupying the temperate regions of Eurasia and northern Morocco. The group contains three species, all inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula, where O. vernus s.l. (sensu lato) exhibits remarkable morphological variability and includes diploid and tetraploid individuals corresponding to the two subspecies that occur there. We collected 301 individuals from 100 sampling sites covering the entire distribution of O. vernus in the Iberian Peninsula and genotyped them using 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Their ploidy level was estimated by flow cytometry, and two cpDNA regions (rps16 intron and trnK-rps16) were sequenced. We found 129 diploids and 172 tetraploids distributed following a mosaic parapatry model, while only two mixed-ploidy populations were discovered. The 20 haplotypes found fit two well-defined haplogroups, to some extent correlated with estimated ploidy levels. The frequencies of the SSR alleles shared by both cytotypes, as well as those of the private alleles corresponding to the tetraploid cytotype, indicate that tetraploids likely originated at least twice through autopolyploidy. Additionally, the results from SSR markers were structured in a higher number of groups than did the cpDNA sequences. Thus, the genetic distance analysis detected four groups, but the Bayesian analysis of population structure identified seven, with only low levels of gene flow detected among groups. The distributions of the seven genetic groups coincide with well-known refugium areas within the Iberian Peninsula during the climatic oscillations of the Quaternary. Thus, the results give additional support to the “refugia within refugia” hypothesis.

Genetic divergence ofDeschampsia antarctica(Poaceae) population groups in the maritime Antarctic

AbstractWe used inter-simple sequence repeats and inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism markers to assess genetic variation in Deschampsia antarctica populations in the context of its uneven distribution in the northern and central maritime Antarctic. Genetic diversity and population structure and differentiation were assessed in nine populations from geographically isolated population groups of D. antarctica, including the South Shetland Islands, Anvers Island and the Argentine Islands regions. In total, 265 amplified DNA fragments were scored, of which 220 (83.0%) were polymorphic. The total sample showed low genetic diversity (unbiased expected heterozygosity = 0.081 and Shannon diversity index = 0.115) and high population differentiation (molecular variance among populations = 0.659). We also found a trend toward a decrease in genetic diversity and an increase in population differentiation toward the southern edge of the species range. Principal coordinates analysis of polymerase chain reaction data and Bayesian population structure analysis showed three main clusters, which included plants originating from three spatially isolated population groups. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean clustering of populations based on Nei’s genetic distances was mainly in agreement with this pattern. Testing of isolation by distance using the Mantel test demonstrated a significant correlation between genetic and ln-transformed geographical distance (r = 0.703). The data obtained indicate that the geographically isolated D. antarctica populations in the maritime Antarctic might form genetic clusters within the total range.

Population structure and adaptive variation of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don along eastern Adriatic temperature and precipitation gradient

Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don; Asteraceae) is a perennial plant species native to the Mediterranean region, known for many properties with wide application mainly in perfume and cosmetic industry. A total of 18 wild H. italicum populations systematically sampled along the eastern Adriatic environmental gradient were studied using AFLP markers to determine genetic diversity and structure and to identify loci potentially responsible for adaptive divergence. Results showed higher levels of intrapopulation diversity than interpopulation diversity. Genetic differentiation among populations was significant but low, indicating extensive gene flow between populations. Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed the existence of two genetic clusters. Combining the results of FST - outlier analysis (Mcheza and BayeScan) and genome-environment association analysis (Samβada, LFMM) four AFLP loci strongly associated with the bioclimatic variables Bio03 Isothermality, Bio08 Mean temperature of the wettest quarter, Bio15 Precipitation seasonality, and Bio17 Precipitation of driest quarter were found to be the main variables driving potential adaptive genetic variation in H. italicum along the eastern Adriatic environmental gradient. Redundancy analysis revealed that the partitioning of genetic variation was mainly associated with the adaptation to temperature oscillations. The results of the research may contribute to a clearer understanding of the importance of local adaptations for the genetic differentiation of Mediterranean plants and allow the planning of appropriate conservation strategies. However, considering that the identified outlier loci may be linked to genes under selection rather than being the target of natural selection, future studies must aim at their additional analysis.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of a Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana) Collection.

Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth) is one of the most important forage grasses used throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Enhancing the conservation and use of genetic resources requires the development of knowledge and understanding about the existing global diversity of the species. In this study, 104 Rhodes grass accessions, held in trust in the ILRI forage genebank, were characterized using DArTSeq markers to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure, and to develop representative subsets, of the collection. The genotyping produced 193,988 SNP and 142,522 SilicoDArT markers with an average polymorphic information content of 0.18 and 0.26, respectively. Hierarchical clustering using selected informative markers showed the presence of two and three main clusters using SNP and SilicoDArT markers, respectively, with a cophenetic correction coefficient of 82%. Bayesian population structure analysis also showed the presence of two main subpopulations using both marker types indicating the existence of significant genetic variation in the collection. A representative subset, containing 21 accessions from diverse origins, was developed using the SNP markers. In general, the results revealed substantial genetic diversity in the Rhodes grass collection, and the generated molecular information, together with the developed subset, should help enhance the management, use and improvement of Rhodes grass germplasm in the future.

Population Genetics of Species in the Genera Botrychium and Botrypus (Ophioglossaceae)

The population genetics of ferns, which results from initiation of individuals in a new location (often via long-distance dispersal) plus a wide range of mating systems, merit continued study. In the case of species in the subfamily Botrychioideae (specifically the genera Botrychium and Botrypus), previous work using allozyme and isozyme techniques revealed low genetic diversity and weak population genetic structure. This lack of genetic differentiation between populations is in spite of underground fertilization in the genus resulting in high levels of inbreeding and primarily fixed heterozygosity in tetraploids. In the present study, Amplified Fragment-Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) were used to examine population genetics and structure of three species in the genus Botrychium and one species in the genus Botrypus. Measures of population genetic diversity were generally low, with the highest measures in the relatively common Botrypus virginianus. Across all species, measures of population differentiation were low and most genetic variation was contained within populations. Bayesian analysis of population structure using the program STRUCTURE corroborated these findings, with inferred genetic clusters that generally did not correspond to geographic collecting locations. These results agree with previous studies, with low genetic diversity within and among populations likely due to self-fertilization that limits outcrossing and long-distance spore dispersal that results in genetically similar populations.

Genetic Differentiation of Wild Boar Populations in a Region Endangered by African Swine Fever

ABSTRACTFor areas at risk for African swine fever (ASF) introduction from neighboring regions, it is important for epidemic control to know how wild boar (Sus scrofa) dispersion dynamics could be used to combat the spread of ASF. In this regard, long‐term information based on population genetic data makes an important contribution. We selected our study area as Rhineland‐Palatinate, Germany, because it had a high density of wild boars and was threatened by ASF via infected wild boars from neighboring Belgium. On an area of around 20,000 km2, we collected almost 1,200 blood samples from 22 wild boar hunting grounds. The study area included a network of potential barriers to movement, including roads and rivers. We assessed genetic differentiation based on microsatellite data. We used 2 spatial (Bayesian Analysis of Population Structure [BAPS] and TESS) and 1 non‐spatial (STRUCTURE) Bayesian model‐based approaches to analyze the data. Each of the algorithms detected 4 clusters with different cluster compositions in different areas and identified the highest degrees of differentiation between hunting grounds east and west of the Rhine River, between Pfalz and Eifel‐Hunsrück, and to a lesser degree between Westerwald and Taunus and between Eifel and Hunsrück. Thus, genetic evidence suggests barriers of different strength that might be helpful in a setup of complex and expensive measures against the spread of animal diseases such as ASF. The described approach could also provide valuable information for other threatened regions to contain ASF. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

Genetic diversity of the free-living population of Przewalski's horses in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

The present study is aimed at evaluating the genetic diversity, genetic status and the extent of hybridization with the domestic horse for the Przhevalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii Poliakov 1881) population free-ranging in the territory of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) in Belarus and Ukraine. The sample size included 12 individuals (10 sampled in the Belarusian part of the CEZ and 2 from the Ukrainian part of the CEZ). Ten microsatellites recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) for horse genetic status and pedigree determination were used as markers in this study. The fragment analysis data obtained utilising this microsatellite panel determined that two individuals from Belarus possess no allelic variants typical for Przhevalski’s horse. Most of the other individuals presented diagnostically valuable allelic variants. Demographic history analysis for the population did not indicate any drastic population shrinkage events in the population’s recent history. The studied population is characterised by heterogeneous population structure with signs of inbreeding (0.21 %), intermediate level of genetic diversity (He = 0.63) and allelic richness (5.15), possesses 16 unique alleles among 2 microsatellite loci and valuable alleles for loci HMS3 and HMS7 (46.4 and 67.9 % specific alleles for Przhevalski’s horse, respectively). Genetic structure evaluation for the population was performed via Bayesian population structure analysis and factorial correspondence analysis (FCA), which indicated the presence of intrapopulation genetic subdivision. Taking into account the obtained indicators of genetic diversity, we may conclude on the relatively favourable status of Przewalski’s horse in the exclusion zone with good potential for the long-term existence of the species population in the wild. In order to minimise inbreeding effects and the risk of a decline in genetic diversity in the population of Przewalski’s horse of the exclusion zone, as well as to increase the value of this free-living group to preserve the gene pool of the species as a whole, it is necessary to provide detailed genetic monitoring of the livestock’s state, as well as develop a regional population management plan, including measures aimed to minimise the possibility of further hybridisation of wild horses with domestic ones.