Genetic variability in natural populations of the gray wolf, Canis lupus

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1183-1188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phyllis K. Kennedy ◽  
Michael L. Kennedy ◽  
Peter L. Clarkson ◽  
Ilme S. Liepins

The genetic variability of gray wolves (Canis lupus) from northwestern Canada was assessed through starch-gel electrophoresis. Of 27 protein systems examined, 25, representing 37 presumptive loci, were consistently scorable; 7 proteins (5 were consistently scorable) exhibited polymorphism. The level of heterozygosity (3.0%) was medial relative to values reported for natural populations of Carnivora and high relative to values reported for natural populations of canids. An overall pattern of few deviations from Hardy–Weinberg expectations and some spatial heterogeneity was observed. Wolves associated with different caribou herds exhibited a low level of differentiation (FST = 0.029). The pattern of variability supports the view of a large panmictic population resulting from extensive movements of individuals and packs and from natural and human impacts on pack structure and formation.

1976 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juhani Lokki ◽  
Pekka Lankinen ◽  
Anssi Saura ◽  
Esko Suomalainen

AbstractThe genetic variability at 20 enzyme loci in natural populations of Otiorrhynchus salicis Ström was studied by starch gel electrophoresis. Altogether 135 weevils were analyzed. The samples originated from a diploid bisexual population in Austria, from four triploid parthenogenetic populations in the Carpathian mountains, and from three triploid parthenogenetic populations in central Sweden. Altogether 16 different genotypes were found in triploid parthenogenetic populations. Two major types, comprising 39 out of the 76 parthenogenetic individuals, occur both in Scandinavia and in central Europe. The less frequent types can be derived from these through mutations. O. salicis is a flightless insect, which has been assumed to have overwintered the Würm glaciation in icefree refugia in Scandinavia. The overall genetic similarity found in the material suggests that the parthenogenetic race spread to its isolated Scandinavian area in postglacial times.


1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Zhu ◽  
Kenneth O. Higginbotham ◽  
Bruce P. Dancik ◽  
Stan Navratil

Mycelial extracts of 43 isolates of Suillus tomentosus (Kauffm.) Singer, Snell & Dick collected from four boreal forest regions in Alberta were subjected to starch gel electrophoresis. A total of 21 bands was resolved from eight different enzyme systems presumably representing 13 loci. Six loci were polymorphic among these isolates. Cluster and principal components analyses demonstrated that intraspecific genetic variability of this fungus existed among and within forest regions. Polymorphic loci of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase exhibited the greatest genetic similarity among the isolates within forest regions. Habitat isolation and host selection could be the major sources of genetic variation among forest regions.


Weed Science ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanglin Hou ◽  
Tracy M. Sterling

Broom snakeweed, a perennial rangeland shrub, is highly variable morphologically and can grow under a broad range of environmental conditions. In this study, isozyme analysis using starch gel electrophoresis was used to quantify genetic variability within and among New Mexico populations of broom snakeweed. Eight separate populations of broom snakeweed and one population of threadleaf snakeweed as a comparison were investigated. of the 10 enzyme systems examined, 16 loci were identified in eight populations and two species. Eleven loci were monomorphic in eight populations and two species and five loci were polymorphic in at least one population or species. Genetic variability was large in broom and threadleaf snakeweed populations as determined by isozyme analysis. Genetic variability among broom snakeweed populations was greater than that within populations for the five polymorphic loci. Cluster analysis of genetic distance and identity for the eight populations and two species characterized two major groups. Within broom snakeweed, cluster analysis characterized five groups. The two species shared most common alleles. The genetic variation identified in this research may account for the morphological differences and broad geographical distribution of broom snakeweed.


Weed Science ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl A. Wilen ◽  
Jodie S. Holt ◽  
Norman C. Ellstrand ◽  
Ruth G. Shaw

Using starch gel electrophoresis, we examined the genetic variability of kikuyugrass collected from three golf course sites within its geographical range in California. These experiments were conducted to determine the method of spread of kikuyugrass in areas where it is considered invasive. Samples from roughs and fairways of each of these locations were compared. of the 354 plants examined, 12 different genotypes were identified by isozyme analysis, and only three of the nine putative loci varied among the genotypes. Two genotypes, representing 73% of the plants examined, were found at all three geographic locations. Our results imply that under common golf course practices, kikuyugrass is maintained by clonal reproduction. We conclude that low genetic variation does not preclude a plant species from being an aggressive invader.


1988 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 359-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Brown ◽  
I. J. Ropson ◽  
D. A. Powers

Abstract Starch gel electrophoresis has shown that natural populations of Fundulus heteroclitus have electrophoretic variants for at least 21 loci. We provide inheritance data for 10 polymorphic systems: esterases (Est-B, EST-C, and Est-D); aspartate amlnotransferases (Aat-A, and Aat-B); mannosephosphate isomerase (Mpl-A); acid phosphatase (Ap-A); phosphoglucomutase (Pgm-B); hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (H6pdh-A); and fumarase (Fum-A). Variants for nine of these loci segregate as autosomally inherited codominant alleles. The other system, EST-C, does not reflect such inheritance. We have identified two possible linkage groups: H6pdh-A may be loosely linked to Pgm-B, and Fum-A appears to be linked to Pgm-A. Tissue specificity and intracellular localization for all these loci are also presented.


1983 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos F. Quiros ◽  
Lisa Ostafichuk

The genetic variability in the diploid annual species (2n = 2x = 16) Medicago turbinata L. and M. truncatula Gaernt. was studied at three loci for the enzymes peroxidase, Prx1-1, and leucine-aminopeptidase, Lap1-1 and Lap1-2. Eight accessions of each species, including all the taxonomic forms were surveyed by starch gel electrophoresis. No variation was observed among plants within each accession. Among the M. turbinata forms, four alleles were observed at locus Lap1-2. No variation was detected for the other two loci studied. For the M. truncatula forms, four alleles were found for Prx1-1 and three alleles for Lap1-2. No variation was observed for locus Lap1-1. Form uncinata of M. truncatula, of uncertain taxonomic status, has at least one M. turbinata allele. Both species can be differentiated by their specific allozymes. In general, the alleles of the isozymic loci segregated in a Mendelian fashion in the expected ratios for monomeric enzymes. The presence of chlorophyll-deficient plants on some of the progenies involving different taxonomic forms of the species M. turbinata indicates the presence of isolation barriers between these forms. The lack of segregation at locus Lap1-1 in the tetraploidized interspecific hybrid proves its alloploid nature.


1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Isabel de O. Penteado ◽  
Pedro García ◽  
Marcelino Pérez de la Vega

Isozyme patterns and their genetic control in three Centrosema species are described. Seven isozymatic systems (aspartate aminotransferase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, phosphoglucomutase, anodal peroxidase, malate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase) were studied in 18 populations and several breeding lines of C. acutifolium, C. brasilianum and C. pubescens, using starch gel electrophoresis techniques. All systems, except glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, are described for the first time in these species. A total of 17 isozyme loci were scored; this represents the largest set of Mendelian loci known up to now in Centrosema species. Isozyme polymorphism and variability within and between populations and species were relatively high and allowed discrimination among species


Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 1295-1314
Author(s):  
C C Laurie-Ahlberg ◽  
B S Weir

ABSTRACT Nine laboratory populations of D. melanogaster were surveyed by starch gel electrophoresis for variation at 17 enzyme loci. A single-fly extract could be assayed for all 17 enzymes, so that the data consist of 17-locus genotypes.— Pairwise linkage disequilibria were estimated from the multilocus genotypic frequencies, using both BURROWS' and HILL'S methods. Large amounts of link-age disequilibrium were found, in contrast to the results reported for natural populations.—Knowledge of the approximate sizes of these populations was used to compare the observed heterozygosities and linkage disequilibria with predictions of the neutral allele hypothesis. The relatively large amount of linkage disequilibrium is consistent with the small sizes of the populations. However, the levels of heterozygosity in at least some populations suggest that some mechanism has been operating to retard the rate of decay by random drift. Several examples of significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg frequencies and the large amount of linkage disequilibnim present in these populations indicate that a likely mechanism is selective effects associated with neutral alleles because of linkage disequilibrium with selected loci (e.g., "associative overdominance"). The results are therefore consistent with both neutralist, and selectionist hypotheses, but suggest the importance of considering linkage disequilibrium between neutral and selected loci when attempting to explain the dynamics of enzyme polymorphisms.


HortScience ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 490a-490
Author(s):  
Zhigiang Zhu ◽  
Paul G. Thompson

The polymorphisms of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) in sweetpotato and I. trifida were examined. Horizontal starch gel electrophoresis was used to analyze leaf and pollen tissue of parents and progenies of 10 crosses. Analyses revealed that PGI was a dimeric enzyme system controlled by 5 loci. The segregation ratios did not suggest that PGI was a duplicate system and therefore did not indicate hexaploidy. Only 2 loci appeared to be present in I. trifida. No observed band was related to different ploidy levels in I. batatas and I. trifida. No linkage was identified among the loci.


Genetics ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-508
Author(s):  
Esko Suomalainen ◽  
Anssi Saura

ABSTRACT The genetic variability at enzyme loci in different triploid and tetraploid parthenogenetic weevil populations has been elucidated by starch gel electrophoresis. The overall genotype of individual weevils belonging to different populations has been determined for over 25 loci. The results are compared with those obtained for diploid bisexual races of either the same or closely related species. The variation within a parthenogenetic population differs from that in diploid, sexually reproducing populations, i.e. the allele frequencies are not in a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The results indicate that apomictic parthenogenetic populations can differentiate genetically. The genotypes within a population resemble each other more than genotypes belonging to different populations. It is evident that evolution still continues-even if slowed down—in parthenogenetic weevils. A comparison between the allele relationships in geographically isolated polyploid parthenogenetic populations and related diploid bisexual forms does not support the hypothetical hybrid origin of parthenogenesis and polyploidy in weevils. Parthenogenesis within a parthenogenetic weevil species is evidently monophyletic.


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