Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares
Abstract Brown hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) are able to hybridize with mountain hares (L. timidus Linnaeus) and produce fertile offspring, which results in cross-species gene flow. However, not much is known about the functional significance of this genetic introgression. Using targeted sequencing...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95357-0 |
| _version_ | 1819202741620178944 |
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| author | Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismäki Craig Michell Riikka Levänen Steve Smith |
| author_facet | Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismäki Craig Michell Riikka Levänen Steve Smith |
| author_sort | Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismäki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Brown hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) are able to hybridize with mountain hares (L. timidus Linnaeus) and produce fertile offspring, which results in cross-species gene flow. However, not much is known about the functional significance of this genetic introgression. Using targeted sequencing of candidate loci combined with mtDNA genotyping, we found the ancestral genetic diversity in the Finnish brown hare to be small, likely due to founder effect and range expansion, while gene flow from mountain hares constitutes an important source of functional genetic variability. Some of this variability, such as the alleles of the mountain hare thermogenin (uncoupling protein 1, UCP1), might have adaptive advantage for brown hares, whereas immunity-related MHC alleles are reciprocally exchanged and maintained via balancing selection. Our study offers a rare example where an expanding species can increase its allelic variability through hybridization with a congeneric native species, offering a route to shortcut evolutionary adaptation to the local environmental conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T04:08:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb1fa57c095a4ce283928ae649797049 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T04:08:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb1fa57c095a4ce283928ae6497970492022-12-21T18:00:33ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-08-0111111410.1038/s41598-021-95357-0Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown haresJaakko L. O. Pohjoismäki0Craig Michell1Riikka Levänen2Steve Smith3Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern FinlandDepartment of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern FinlandDepartment of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern FinlandDepartment of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary MedicineAbstract Brown hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) are able to hybridize with mountain hares (L. timidus Linnaeus) and produce fertile offspring, which results in cross-species gene flow. However, not much is known about the functional significance of this genetic introgression. Using targeted sequencing of candidate loci combined with mtDNA genotyping, we found the ancestral genetic diversity in the Finnish brown hare to be small, likely due to founder effect and range expansion, while gene flow from mountain hares constitutes an important source of functional genetic variability. Some of this variability, such as the alleles of the mountain hare thermogenin (uncoupling protein 1, UCP1), might have adaptive advantage for brown hares, whereas immunity-related MHC alleles are reciprocally exchanged and maintained via balancing selection. Our study offers a rare example where an expanding species can increase its allelic variability through hybridization with a congeneric native species, offering a route to shortcut evolutionary adaptation to the local environmental conditions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95357-0 |
| spellingShingle | Jaakko L. O. Pohjoismäki Craig Michell Riikka Levänen Steve Smith Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares Scientific Reports |
| title | Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares |
| title_full | Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares |
| title_fullStr | Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares |
| title_short | Hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares |
| title_sort | hybridization with mountain hares increases the functional allelic repertoire in brown hares |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95357-0 |
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