Genetic swamping of the critically endangered Scottish wildcat was recent and accelerated by disease.
Curr Biol
; 33(21): 4761-4769.e5, 2023 11 06.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37935118
ABSTRACT
The European wildcat population in Scotland is considered critically endangered as a result of hybridization with introduced domestic cats,1,2 though the time frame over which this gene flow has taken place is unknown. Here, using genome data from modern, museum, and ancient samples, we reconstructed the trajectory and dated the decline of the local wildcat population from viable to severely hybridized. We demonstrate that although domestic cats have been present in Britain for over 2,000 years,3 the onset of hybridization was only within the last 70 years. Our analyses reveal that the domestic ancestry present in modern wildcats is markedly over-represented in many parts of the genome, including the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). We hypothesize that introgression provides wildcats with protection against diseases harbored and introduced by domestic cats, and that this selection contributes to maladaptive genetic swamping through linkage drag. Using the case of the Scottish wildcat, we demonstrate the importance of local ancestry estimates to both understand the impacts of hybridization in wild populations and support conservation efforts to mitigate the consequences of anthropogenic and environmental change.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Flujo Génico
/
Hibridación Genética
Límite:
Animals
País como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article