Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation

Background Among six extant tiger subspecies, the South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) once was widely distributed but is now the rarest one and extinct in the wild. All living South China tigers are descendants of only two male and four female wild-caught tigers and they survive solely in...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chen Wang, Dong Dong Wu, Yao Hua Yuan, Meng Cheng Yao, Han Jianlin, Ya Jiang Wu, Fen Shan, Wan Ping Li, Jun Qiong Zhai, Mian Huang, Shi Ming Peng, Qin Hui Cai, Jian Yi Yu, Qun Xiu Liu, Zhao Yang Liu, Lin Xiang Li, Ming Sheng Teng, Wei Huang, Jun Ying Zhou, Chi Zhang, Wu Chen, Xiao Long Tu
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130118
_version_ 1855515934276452352
author Chen Wang
Dong Dong Wu
Yao Hua Yuan
Meng Cheng Yao
Han Jianlin
Ya Jiang Wu
Fen Shan
Wan Ping Li
Jun Qiong Zhai
Mian Huang
Shi Ming Peng
Qin Hui Cai
Jian Yi Yu
Qun Xiu Liu
Zhao Yang Liu
Lin Xiang Li
Ming Sheng Teng
Wei Huang
Jun Ying Zhou
Chi Zhang
Wu Chen
Xiao Long Tu
author_browse Chen Wang
Chi Zhang
Dong Dong Wu
Fen Shan
Han Jianlin
Jian Yi Yu
Jun Qiong Zhai
Jun Ying Zhou
Lin Xiang Li
Meng Cheng Yao
Mian Huang
Ming Sheng Teng
Qin Hui Cai
Qun Xiu Liu
Shi Ming Peng
Wan Ping Li
Wei Huang
Wu Chen
Xiao Long Tu
Ya Jiang Wu
Yao Hua Yuan
Zhao Yang Liu
author_facet Chen Wang
Dong Dong Wu
Yao Hua Yuan
Meng Cheng Yao
Han Jianlin
Ya Jiang Wu
Fen Shan
Wan Ping Li
Jun Qiong Zhai
Mian Huang
Shi Ming Peng
Qin Hui Cai
Jian Yi Yu
Qun Xiu Liu
Zhao Yang Liu
Lin Xiang Li
Ming Sheng Teng
Wei Huang
Jun Ying Zhou
Chi Zhang
Wu Chen
Xiao Long Tu
author_sort Chen Wang
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background Among six extant tiger subspecies, the South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) once was widely distributed but is now the rarest one and extinct in the wild. All living South China tigers are descendants of only two male and four female wild-caught tigers and they survive solely in zoos after 60 years of effective conservation efforts. Inbreeding depression and hybridization with other tiger subspecies were believed to have occurred within the small, captive South China tiger population. It is therefore urgently needed to examine the genomic landscape of existing genetic variation among the South China tigers. Results In this study, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome using long-read sequences and re-sequenced 29 high-depth genomes of the South China tigers. By combining and comparing our data with the other 40 genomes of six tiger subspecies, we identified two significantly differentiated genomic lineages among the South China tigers, which harbored some rare genetic variants introgressed from other tiger subspecies and thus maintained a moderate genetic diversity. We noticed that the South China tiger had higher FROH values for longer runs of homozygosity (ROH > 1 Mb), an indication of recent inbreeding/founder events. We also observed that the South China tiger had the least frequent homozygous genotypes of both high- and moderate-impact deleterious mutations, and lower mutation loads than both Amur and Sumatran tigers. Altogether, our analyses indicated an effective genetic purging of deleterious mutations in homozygous states from the South China tiger, following its population contraction with a controlled increase in inbreeding based on its pedigree records. Conclusions The identification of two unique founder/genomic lineages coupled with active genetic purging of deleterious mutations in homozygous states and the genomic resources generated in our study pave the way for a genomics-informed conservation, following the real-time monitoring and rational exchange of reproductive South China tigers among zoos.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace130118
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher Springer
publisherStr Springer
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1301182024-05-01T08:15:21Z Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation Chen Wang Dong Dong Wu Yao Hua Yuan Meng Cheng Yao Han Jianlin Ya Jiang Wu Fen Shan Wan Ping Li Jun Qiong Zhai Mian Huang Shi Ming Peng Qin Hui Cai Jian Yi Yu Qun Xiu Liu Zhao Yang Liu Lin Xiang Li Ming Sheng Teng Wei Huang Jun Ying Zhou Chi Zhang Wu Chen Xiao Long Tu animal breeding genetics tigers cell biology physiology biotechnology Background Among six extant tiger subspecies, the South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) once was widely distributed but is now the rarest one and extinct in the wild. All living South China tigers are descendants of only two male and four female wild-caught tigers and they survive solely in zoos after 60 years of effective conservation efforts. Inbreeding depression and hybridization with other tiger subspecies were believed to have occurred within the small, captive South China tiger population. It is therefore urgently needed to examine the genomic landscape of existing genetic variation among the South China tigers. Results In this study, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome using long-read sequences and re-sequenced 29 high-depth genomes of the South China tigers. By combining and comparing our data with the other 40 genomes of six tiger subspecies, we identified two significantly differentiated genomic lineages among the South China tigers, which harbored some rare genetic variants introgressed from other tiger subspecies and thus maintained a moderate genetic diversity. We noticed that the South China tiger had higher FROH values for longer runs of homozygosity (ROH > 1 Mb), an indication of recent inbreeding/founder events. We also observed that the South China tiger had the least frequent homozygous genotypes of both high- and moderate-impact deleterious mutations, and lower mutation loads than both Amur and Sumatran tigers. Altogether, our analyses indicated an effective genetic purging of deleterious mutations in homozygous states from the South China tiger, following its population contraction with a controlled increase in inbreeding based on its pedigree records. Conclusions The identification of two unique founder/genomic lineages coupled with active genetic purging of deleterious mutations in homozygous states and the genomic resources generated in our study pave the way for a genomics-informed conservation, following the real-time monitoring and rational exchange of reproductive South China tigers among zoos. 2023-04-18 2023-04-23T10:53:34Z 2023-04-23T10:53:34Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130118 en Open Access Springer Chen Wang, Dong Dong Wu, Yao Hua Yuan, Meng Cheng Yao, Jian Lin Han, Ya Jiang Wu, Fen Shan, Wan Ping Li, Jun Qiong Zhai, Mian Huang, Shi Ming Peng, Qin Hui Cai, Jian Yi Yu, Qun Xiu Liu, Zhao Yang Liu, Lin Xiang Li, Ming Sheng Teng, Wei Huang, Jun Ying Zhou, Chi Zhang, Wu Chen and Xiao Long Tu. 2023. Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation. BMC Biology 21:64.
spellingShingle animal breeding
genetics
tigers
cell biology
physiology
biotechnology
Chen Wang
Dong Dong Wu
Yao Hua Yuan
Meng Cheng Yao
Han Jianlin
Ya Jiang Wu
Fen Shan
Wan Ping Li
Jun Qiong Zhai
Mian Huang
Shi Ming Peng
Qin Hui Cai
Jian Yi Yu
Qun Xiu Liu
Zhao Yang Liu
Lin Xiang Li
Ming Sheng Teng
Wei Huang
Jun Ying Zhou
Chi Zhang
Wu Chen
Xiao Long Tu
Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation
title Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation
title_full Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation
title_fullStr Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation
title_full_unstemmed Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation
title_short Population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of South China tiger captive conservation
title_sort population genomic analysis provides evidence of the past success and future potential of south china tiger captive conservation
topic animal breeding
genetics
tigers
cell biology
physiology
biotechnology
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130118
work_keys_str_mv AT chenwang populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT dongdongwu populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT yaohuayuan populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT mengchengyao populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT hanjianlin populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT yajiangwu populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT fenshan populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT wanpingli populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT junqiongzhai populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT mianhuang populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT shimingpeng populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT qinhuicai populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT jianyiyu populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT qunxiuliu populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT zhaoyangliu populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT linxiangli populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT mingshengteng populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT weihuang populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT junyingzhou populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT chizhang populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT wuchen populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation
AT xiaolongtu populationgenomicanalysisprovidesevidenceofthepastsuccessandfuturepotentialofsouthchinatigercaptiveconservation