Assessment of MHC diversity in Central and Southeastern European grey wolf (Canis lupus) population

doctoral thesis

• Title (english): Procjena MHC raznolikosti u populacijama vuka (Canis lupus)¸srednje i jugoistočne Europe
• Author: Željko Pavlinec; MBZ: 42901040131
• Mentor: Ana Galov (mentor)
• Committee member: xxx xxx (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2021-07-12, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology
• Universal decimal classification (UDC): 57 - Biological sciences. Physical anthropology. Biodiversity

Abstract

Major histocompatibility complex diversity affects individual fitness, population viability and
prospects for its long-term survival and can thereby serve as a valuable genetic indicator of
population fitness and its ability to adapt to environmental changes. Ten populations of grey
wolf (Canis lupus) have been identified in Europe today, the two largest being Carpathian and
Dinaric-Balkan, with their sizes estimated to 4,000 and 5,000 individuals, respectively. In this
thesis I assessed MHC class II allelic diversity in Central and Southeastern European grey
wolves, namely from Carpathian and Dinaric Mountains. I used sequencing-cloning procedure
to analyse exon 2 of DLA-DQA1, DQB1 and DRB1 genes in 99 samples from Carpathian
population and 79 samples from Dinaric-Balkan population. I found four DQA, seven DQB
and seven DRB alleles, with ten haplotypes in the Carpathian population, and eight DQA, 11
DQB and 12 DRB alleles, with 18 haplotypes in the Dinaric-Balkan population. Two alleles in
Dinaric-Balkan population are unknown from previous research. There are strong indications
of positive selection acting upon all examined loci in both populations, and a strong linkage
disequilibrium between all pairs of loci. Dinaric-Balkan population seems to be the most diverse
European population with regards to MHC genes.

Abstract (english)

Raznolikost glavnog sustava tkivne podudarnosti smatra se dobrim genetičkim pokazateljem
fitnesa populacije i sposobnosti prilagodbe na promjene u okolišu, s obzirom da utječe na fitnes
jedinke, vijabilnost populacije i njene izglede za dugoročno preživljavanje. Danas u Europi
postoji deset populacija vuka (Canis lupus), od kojih su dvije najveće populacije karpatska i
dinarsko-balkanska koje broje oko 4000, odnosno 5000 jedinki. U disertaciji je istražena
raznolikost lokusa MHC klase II u populacijama vuka srednje i jugoistočne Europe, to jest
populacija Karpatskog i Dinarskog gorja. Eksoni 2 lokusa DLA-DQA1, DQB1 i DRB1
analizirani su metodama sekvenciranja i molekularnog kloniranja u 99 uzoraka karpatske
populacije i 79 uzoraka dinarsko-balkanske populacije. Identificirano je četiri DQA, sedam
DQB i sedam DRB alela te deset haplotipova u karpatskoj populaciji, dok je u dinarskobalkanskoj populaciji identificirano osam DQA, 11 DQB i 12 DRB alela, te čak 18 haplotipova.
Dva alela nađena u potonjoj populaciji nisu od ranije poznata. U obje populacije rezultati
ukazuju na postojanje pozitivne selekcije na svim istraženim lokusima te na snažnu neravnotežu
vezanosti alela između svih parova lokusa. Dinarsko-balkanska populacija pokazuje najvišu
razinu genetičke raznolikosti procijenjenu na MHC lokusima od svih europskih populacija
vukova.

• Keywords: dog leukocyte antigen; Carpathian population; Dinaric-Balkan population; balancing selection
• Keywords (english): pseći leukocitni antigen; Karpatska populacija; Dinarsko-Balkanska populacija; ravnotežna selekcija
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:583354
• Promotion: 2021
• Study programme: Title: Biology; Study programme type: university; Study level: postgraduate; Academic / professional title: doktor/doktorica znanosti, područje prirodnih znanosti, polje biologija (doktor/doktorica znanosti, područje prirodnih znanosti, polje biologija)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access; Embargo expiration date: 2023-07-12
• Created on: 2021-09-15 13:25:07