scholarly journals Stabilizing selection on microsatellite allele length at arginine vasopressin 1a receptor and oxytocin receptor loci

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1869) ◽  
pp. 20171896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip C. Watts ◽  
Eva R. Kallio ◽  
Esa Koskela ◽  
Eija Lonn ◽  
Tapio Mappes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arginine Vasopressin ◽  
Microsatellite Loci ◽  
Allelic Variation ◽  
Regulatory Region ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Allele Length

The loci arginine vasopressin receptor 1a ( avpr1a ) and oxytocin receptor ( oxtr ) have evolutionarily conserved roles in vertebrate social and sexual behaviour. Allelic variation at a microsatellite locus in the 5′ regulatory region of these genes is associated with fitness in the bank vole Myodes glareolus . Given the low frequency of long and short alleles at these microsatellite loci in wild bank voles, we used breeding trials to determine whether selection acts against long and short alleles. Female bank voles with intermediate length avpr1a alleles had the highest probability of breeding, while male voles whose avpr1a alleles were very different in length had reduced probability of breeding. Moreover, there was a significant interaction between male and female oxtr genotypes, where potential breeding pairs with dissimilar length alleles had reduced probability of breeding. These data show how genetic variation at microsatellite loci associated with avpr1a and oxtr is associated with fitness, and highlight complex patterns of selection at these loci. More widely, these data show how stabilizing selection might act on allele length frequency distributions at gene-associated microsatellite loci.

scholarly journals Balancing selection maintains polymorphisms at neurogenetic loci in field experiments

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (14) ◽  
pp. 3690-3695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eija Lonn ◽  
Esa Koskela ◽  
Tapio Mappes ◽  
Mikael Mokkonen ◽  
Angela M. Sims ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Arginine Vasopressin ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Balancing Selection ◽  
Regulatory Region ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Sexual Antagonism ◽  
Reproductive Behaviors

Most variation in behavior has a genetic basis, but the processes determining the level of diversity at behavioral loci are largely unknown for natural populations. Expression of arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (Avpr1a) and oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) in specific regions of the brain regulates diverse social and reproductive behaviors in mammals, including humans. That these genes have important fitness consequences and that natural populations contain extensive diversity at these loci implies the action of balancing selection. In Myodes glareolus, Avpr1a and Oxtr each contain a polymorphic microsatellite locus located in their 5′ regulatory region (the regulatory region-associated microsatellite, RRAM) that likely regulates gene expression. To test the hypothesis that balancing selection maintains diversity at behavioral loci, we released artificially bred females and males with different RRAM allele lengths into field enclosures that differed in population density. The length of Avpr1a and Oxtr RRAMs was associated with reproductive success, but population density and the sex interacted to determine the optimal genotype. In general, longer Avpr1a RRAMs were more beneficial for males, and shorter RRAMs were more beneficial for females; the opposite was true for Oxtr RRAMs. Moreover, Avpr1a RRAM allele length is correlated with the reproductive success of the sexes during different phases of reproduction; for males, RRAM length correlated with the numbers of newborn offspring, but for females selection was evident on the number of weaned offspring. This report of density-dependence and sexual antagonism acting on loci within the arginine vasopressin–oxytocin pathway explains how genetic diversity at Avpr1a and Oxtr could be maintained in natural populations.

scholarly journals Accumulation of point mutations and reassortment of genomic RNA segments are involved in the microevolution of Puumala hantavirus in a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) population

2008 ◽  
Vol 89 (7) ◽  
pp. 1649-1660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Razzauti ◽  
Angelina Plyusnina ◽  
Heikki Henttonen ◽  
Alexander Plyusnin
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Genetic Lineage ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
L Segment

The genetic diversity of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) was studied in a local population of its natural host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). The trapping area (2.5×2.5 km) at Konnevesi, Central Finland, included 14 trapping sites, at least 500 m apart; altogether, 147 voles were captured during May and October 2005. Partial sequences of the S, M and L viral genome segments were recovered from 40 animals. Seven, 12 and 17 variants were detected for the S, M and L sequences, respectively; these represent new wild-type PUUV strains that belong to the Finnish genetic lineage. The genetic diversity of PUUV strains from Konnevesi was 0.2–4.9 % for the S segment, 0.2–4.8 % for the M segment and 0.2–9.7 % for the L segment. Most nucleotide substitutions were synonymous and most deduced amino acid substitutions were conservative, probably due to strong stabilizing selection operating at the protein level. Based on both sequence markers and phylogenetic clustering, the S, M and L sequences could be assigned to two groups, ‘A’ and ‘B’. Notably, not all bank voles carried S, M and L sequences belonging to the same group, i.e. SAMALA or SBMBLB. A substantial proportion (8/40, 20 %) of the newly characterized PUUV strains possessed reassortant genomes such as SBMALA, SAMBLB or SBMALB. These results suggest that at least some of the PUUV reassortants are viable and can survive in the presence of their parental strains.

scholarly journals Seasonal and photoperiodic effects on lipid droplet size and lipid peroxidation in the brown adipose tissue of bank voles (Myodes glareolus)

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Bonda-Ostaszewska ◽  
Tadeusz Włostowski ◽  
Alicja Krasowska ◽  
Paweł Kozłowski
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Peroxidation ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Brown Adipose Tissue ◽  
Droplet Size ◽  
Lipid Droplet ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Brown Adipose ◽  
Lipid Droplet Size

The spatial genetic structure of bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) populations: The effect of distance and habitat barriers

2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Kozakiewicz ◽  
Alicja Gryczyńska–Siemiątkowska ◽  
Hanna Panagiotopoulou ◽  
Anna Kozakiewicz ◽  
Robert Rutkowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Bank Vole ◽  
Microsatellite Loci ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Apodemus Flavicollis ◽  
Island Populations ◽  
Local Populations ◽  
Bank Vole Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Yellow Necked Mouse

AbstractHabitat barriers are considered to be an important factor causing the local reduction of genetic diversity by dividing a population into smaller sections and preventing gene flow between them. However, the “barrier effect” might be different in the case of different species. The effect of geographic distance and water barriers on the genetic structure of populations of two common rodent species – the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) and the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) living in the area of a lake (on its islands and on two opposite shores) was investigated with the use of microsatellite fragment analysis. The two studied species are characterised by similar habitat requirements, but differ with regard to the socio-spatial structure of the population, individual mobility, capability to cross environmental barriers, and other factors. Trapping was performed for two years in spring and autumn in north-eastern Poland (21°E, 53°N). A total of 160 yellow-necked mouse individuals (7 microsatellite loci) and 346 bank vole individuals (9 microsatellite loci) were analysed. The results of the differentiation analyses (FST and RST) have shown that both the barrier which is formed by a ca. 300 m wide belt of water (between the island and the mainland) and the actual distance of approximately 10 km in continuous populations are sufficient to create genetic differentiation within both species. The differences between local populations living on opposite lake shores are the smallest; differences between any one of them and the island populations are more distinct. All of the genetic diversity indices (the mean number of alleles, mean allelic richness, as well as the observed and expected heterozygosity) of the local populations from the lakeshores were significantly higher than of the small island populations of these two species separated by the water barrier. The more profound “isolation effect” in the case of the island populations of the bank vole, in comparison to the yellow-necked mouse populations, seems to result not only from the lower mobility of the bank vole species, but may also be attributed to other differences in the animals' behaviour.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among sylvatic rodents in Poland

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Grzybek ◽  
Daniela Antolová ◽  
Katarzyna Tołkacz ◽  
Mohammed Alsarraf ◽  
Jolanta Behnke-Borowczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Rodent Species ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Host Age ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Vole Species ◽  
Age And Sex

ABSTRACTToxoplasma gondii is a significant pathogen affecting humans and animals. We conducted seromonitoring for T. gondii in four sylvatic rodent species in Poland. We report an overall seroprevalence of 5.5% (3.6% for Myodes glareolus and 20% for other vole species). Seroprevalence in bank voles varied significantly between host age and sex.

scholarly journals Temporal and between-site variation in helminth communities of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) from N.E. Poland. 1. Regional fauna and component community levels

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 135 (8) ◽  
pp. 985-997 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. BEHNKE ◽  
A. BAJER ◽  
P. D. HARRIS ◽  
L. NEWINGTON ◽  
E. PIDGEON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Helminth Fauna ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Component Community ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Helminth Infections ◽  
Site Variation ◽  
Jaccard's Similarity Index

SUMMARYHelminth infections were studied in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) from 3 woodland sites in N.E. Poland in the late summers of 1999 and 2002, to assess the temporal stability of derived statistics describing the regional helminth fauna and component community structure, and spatial influence on the latter. Regional helminth fauna changed dramatically between the two years, primarily due to a fall in the abundance ofSyphacia petrusewiczibut was partially compensated for by an increase inMesocestoides lineatusandCladotaenia globifera. It was dominated by nematodes overall, but more so in 1999 than in 2002 when larval cestodes were more frequent. Most derived parameters for component community structure varied considerably between sites and the two surveys, the hierarchical order for sites not being maintained between surveys. They were susceptible to the disproportionate influence of three relatively rare, unpredictable species with the greatest overall aggregated distribution among hosts. Jaccard's similarity index was less influenced by the rare species, showing greater stability between sites and across years. In conclusion, temporal variation confounded any site-specific characteristics of the summary measures quantified in this study and their usefulness is therefore restricted to the years in which the surveys were conducted.

scholarly journals Polyandry enhances offspring survival in an infanticidal species

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Klemme ◽  
Hannu Ylönen
Keyword(s):  
Mating Systems ◽  
Multiple Mating ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Female Counterstrategy ◽  
Fitness Benefits ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Genetic Fitness

The adaptive significance of polyandry is an intensely debated subject in sexual selection. For species with male infanticidal behaviour, it has been hypothesized that polyandry evolved as female counterstrategy to offspring loss: by mating with multiple males, females may conceal paternity and so prevent males from killing putative offspring. Here we present, to our knowledge, the first empirical test of this hypothesis in a combined laboratory and field study, and show that multiple mating seems to reduce the risk of infanticide in female bank voles Myodes glareolus . Our findings thus indicate that females of species with non-resource based mating systems, in which males provide nothing but sperm, but commit infanticide, can gain non-genetic fitness benefits from polyandry.

scholarly journals Associations between Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphisms, Empathy towards Animals and Implicit Associations towards Animals

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Connor ◽  
Alistair Lawrence ◽  
Sarah Brown
Keyword(s):  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Allelic Variation ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor ◽  
Implicit Associations ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Oxytocin Receptor Gene ◽  
Receptor Gene Polymorphisms ◽  
Human Social Behaviour

Oxytocin has been well researched in association with psychological variables and is widely accepted as a key modulator of human social behaviour. Previous work indicates involvement of oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human-human empathy, however little is known about associations of OXTR SNPs with empathy and affective reactions of humans towards animals. Five OXTR SNPs previously found to associate with human social behaviour were genotyped in 161 students. Empathy towards animals and implicit associations were evaluated. A General Linear Model was used to investigate the OXTR alleles and allelic combinations along with socio-demographic variables and their influence on empathy towards animals. Empathy towards animals showed a significant association with OXTR SNP rs2254298; homozygous G individuals reported higher levels of empathy towards animals than heterozygous (GA). Our preliminary findings show, for the first time, that between allelic variation in OXTR and animal directed empathy in humans maybe associated, suggesting that OXTRs social behaviour role crosses species boundaries, warranting independent replication.

scholarly journals Studies in bank voles reveal strain differences between chronic wasting disease prions from Norway and North America

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (49) ◽  
pp. 31417-31426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romolo Nonno ◽  
Michele A. Di Bari ◽  
Laura Pirisinu ◽  
Claudia D’Agostino ◽  
Ilaria Vanni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
North American ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Chronic Wasting Disease ◽  
Strain Differences ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
Proximate Cause ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Regional Deposition

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a relentless epidemic disorder caused by infectious prions that threatens the survival of cervid populations and raises increasing public health concerns in North America. In Europe, CWD was detected for the first time in wild Norwegian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and moose (Alces alces) in 2016. In this study, we aimed at comparing the strain properties of CWD prions derived from different cervid species in Norway and North America. Using a classical strain typing approach involving transmission and adaptation to bank voles (Myodes glareolus), we found that prions causing CWD in Norway induced incubation times, neuropathology, regional deposition of misfolded prion protein aggregates in the brain, and size of their protease-resistant core, different from those that characterize North American CWD. These findings show that CWD prion strains affecting Norwegian cervids are distinct from those found in North America, implying that the highly contagious North American CWD prions are not the proximate cause of the newly discovered Norwegian CWD cases. In addition, Norwegian CWD isolates showed an unexpected strain variability, with reindeer and moose being caused by different CWD strains. Our findings shed light on the origin of emergent European CWD, have significant implications for understanding the nature and the ecology of CWD in Europe, and highlight the need to assess the zoonotic potential of the new CWD strains detected in Europe.

scholarly journals Bank vole immunoheterogeneity may limit Nephropatia Epidemica emergence in a French non-endemic region

Parasitology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. DUBOIS ◽  
G. CASTEL ◽  
S. MURRI ◽  
C. PULIDO ◽  
J.-B. PONS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bank Vole ◽  
Myodes Glareolus ◽  
Disease Emergence ◽  
Endemic Region ◽  
Natural Reservoir ◽  
Bank Voles ◽  
Free Region ◽  
Limited Dispersal ◽  
Antiviral Gene ◽  
French Region

SUMMARYEcoevolutionary processes affecting hosts, vectors and pathogens are important drivers of zoonotic disease emergence. In this study, we focused on nephropathia epidemica (NE), which is caused by Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) whose natural reservoir is the bank vole,Myodes glareolus. We questioned the possibility of NE emergence in a French region that is considered to be NE-free but that is adjacent to a NE-endemic region. We first confirmed the epidemiology of these two regions and we demonstrated the absence of spatial barriers that could have limited dispersal, and consequently, the spread of PUUV into the NE-free region. We next tested whether regional immunoheterogeneity could impact PUUV chances to circulate and persist in the NE-free region. We showed that bank voles from the NE-free region were sensitive to experimental PUUV infection. We observed high levels of immunoheterogeneity between individuals and also between regions. Antiviral gene expression (TnfandMx2) reached higher levels in bank voles from the NE-free region. During experimental infections, anti-PUUV antibody production was higher in bank voles from the NE-endemic region. These results indicated a lower susceptibility to PUUV for bank voles from this NE-free region, which might limit PUUV persistence and therefore, the risk of NE.

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