Genetic Pedigree Analysis of the Pilot Breeding Program for the Rediscovered Galapagos Giant Tortoise from Floreana Island

The Journal of Heredity
Joshua M MillerAdalgisa Caccone

Abstract

An aim of many captive breeding programs is to increase population sizes for reintroduction and establishment of self-sustaining wild populations. Genetic analyses play a critical role in these programs: monitoring genetic variation, identifying the origin of individuals, and assigning parentage to track family sizes. Here, we use genetic pedigree analyses to examine 3 seasons of a pilot breeding program for the Floreana island Galapagos giant tortoise, C. niger, that had been declared extinct for ~150 years until individuals with mixed ancestry were recently discovered. We determined that 8 of 9 founding individuals were assigned parentage to at least 1 of 130 offspring produced, though there was considerable reproductive skew. In addition, we observed that genetic diversity of the progeny was lower than that of the founders. Despite the observed reproductive skew, we did not see evidence for assortative mating based on relatedness, but there was a trend toward reduced fitness when more related individuals bred. Finally, we found that the majority of progeny had ancestry assigned to the Floreana species (mean ± SE = 0.51 ± 0.02), though individual estimates varied. The success of these pilot seasons bodes well for a larger bre...Continue Reading

References

Jun 20, 1998·Molecular Ecology·T C MarshallJ M Pemberton
Jun 9, 2001·The Journal of Heredity·D E Pearse, J C Avise
Apr 23, 2004·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Michel C MilinkovitchJeffrey R Powell
Aug 19, 2004·Molecular Ecology·M A Russello, G Amato
May 2, 2007·Current Biology : CB·Michael A RusselloAdalgisa Caccone
Jan 5, 2008·Molecular Ecology·P W Hedrick, R J Fredrickson
May 3, 2008·Molecular Ecology·Tobias Uller, Mats Olsson
Sep 24, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Nikos PoulakakisAdalgisa Caccone
May 8, 2009·Bioinformatics·Michael Matschiner, Walter Salzburger
Jul 1, 1986·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·K Ralls, J Ballou
Aug 9, 2011·Genetics and Molecular Research : GMR·C G OliveiraR A Martinez
Jan 14, 2012·Current Biology : CB·Ryan C GarrickAdalgisa Caccone
Nov 28, 2012·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Marta SzulkinJane M Reid
Jan 22, 2013·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Emily L WeiserIan G Jamieson
Mar 8, 2013·Evolutionary Applications·Michel C MilinkovitchJeffrey R Powell
Mar 28, 2013·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Elizabeth A HunterWashington Tapia
Jan 31, 2014·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Njal RollinsonJeffrey A Hutchings
Feb 6, 2014·Genetics·Eric FrichotOlivier François
Jul 16, 2014·Genetics Research·Silvia T Rodríguez-RamiloJesús Fernández
Sep 5, 2014·Molecular Ecology Resources·Jack PewTimothy R Frasier
Sep 17, 2014·Molecular Ecology·Ryan C GarrickAdalgisa Caccone
Dec 3, 2014·Molecular Ecology·Janna R WilloughbyJ Andrew DeWoody
Jan 17, 2015·Nature·Washington Tapia AguileraJames P Gibbs
Jun 23, 2015·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Jill A Hamilton, Joshua M Miller
Dec 17, 2015·Nature Communications·Meghan S Martin-WintleRonald R Swaisgood
Feb 20, 2016·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·C R M AttardL B Beheregaray
Apr 12, 2016·Molecular Ecology·Robert K Wayne, H Bradley Shaffer
Nov 5, 2016·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Jennifer F Lind-RiehlOliver Gailing
Jul 29, 2016·Evolutionary Applications·Marco TodescoLoren H Rieseberg
Oct 19, 2016·Molecular Ecology Resources·Jonathan Sandoval-CastilloLuciano B Beheregaray

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 13, 2018·The Journal of Heredity·Philip W Hedrick
Mar 23, 2019·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Maud C QuinzinAdalgisa Caccone

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.