Molecular phylogenetic analysis on evolution and population diversity of the Iriomote cat and the Tsushima cat

本项目的目的是在分子遗传分析的基础上，了解Iriomote猫和Tsushima猫濒危种群的进化历史和遗传多样性。本研究获得的结果如下：1)线粒体DNA控制区的序列分析表明，虽然该基因在线粒体基因组中进化最快，但在Iriomote猫群体中没有变异。2)微卫星DNA分析显示，Iriomote猫和对马猫两个群体的遗传多样性都非常低，表明遗传漂移和/或近亲交配分别是由于Iriomote岛和对马岛上大约20万年和10万年的地理隔离所致。3)检测了这两个野生猫的主要组织相容性复合体(MHC)II类DRB基因座，并获得了一些等位基因。目前，它们的序列正在进行系统发育分析。4)部分DNA分析结果已在对马野生动物保护中心向公众展出。

The objective of this project was to understand the evolutionary history and genetic diversity of endangered populations of the Iriomote cat and the Tsushima cat, based on molecular genetic analysis. The results obtained in this study were as follows :1) Sequence analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region showed no variation in the Iriomote cat population, although this gene is thought to evolve most rapidly among mitochondrial genes.2) Microsatellite DNA analysis showed a remarkably low genetic diversity in both populations of the Iriomote cat and the Tsushima cat, indicating genetic drift and/or inbreeding due to geographic isolation on the Iriomote Island and the Tsushima Island for approximately 0.2 and 0.1 million years, respectively.3) Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II DRB locus was examined for the two wildcats and some alleles were obtained. At present, their sequences are being analyzed phylogenetically.4) Some parts of the results of DNA analysis have been exhibited to public at the Wildlife Conservation Center of Tsushima.