Extremely high major histocompatibility complex class IIb gene intron 2 variation and population structure in Chinese alligator.

摘要: Identifying the processes that maintain genetic diversity within and among populations is a central goal of modern evolutionary genetics. So far, studies on have mainly focussed neutral DNA markers, such as mtDNA microsatellites (Xu et al. 2010). While these markers are very informative in molecular clocks, to examine dispersal patterns individuals (gene flow) classify them by relatedness paternity analyses. The variation at loci cannot provide direct information selective involving interaction with their environment or capacity for future adaptive changes (Sommer 2005). With developments biology, researchers can directly selection genes underlie functional traits. Therefore, nonneutral become especially valuable (Koskinen 2002). One important example comes from major histocompatibility complex (MHC). These found all jawed vertebrates play critical role an organism’s immune response (Karaiskou High levels MHC alleles believed confer ability recognize wide range antigens thus increase resistance greater number environmental pathogens. Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) one 23 critically endangered crocodile species world. wild population has been close extinct during past decades due habitat loss illegal hunting. investigation indicated alligators decreased 500 1980s currently less than 120 150 (Thorbjarnarson