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

本项目的目的是通过分子遗传学分析，了解西表猫和对岛猫濒危种群的进化历史和遗传多样性。本研究的结果如下：1）线粒体DNA控制区的序列分析显示，西表猫种群中没有变异，尽管该基因被认为是线粒体基因中进化最快的。2）微卫星DNA分析显示，西表猫和对马猫的遗传多样性都非常低，表明由于西表岛和对马岛分别约20万年和10万年的地理隔离，遗传漂变和/或近亲繁殖。3）对这两种野猫进行了主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）II类DRB基因座的检测，并获得了一些等位基因。4）DNA分析的部分结果已在对马野生动物保护中心公开展出。

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.