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

本项目旨在通过分子遗传分析了解濒危种群伊里奥莫特猫和对马猫的进化历史和遗传多样性。本研究的结果如下：1)线粒体DNA控制区序列分析显示，尽管该基因被认为是线粒体基因中进化最快的，但在Iriomote猫种群中没有变异。2)微卫星DNA分析显示，Iriomote岛和Tsushima岛猫种群的遗传多样性都非常低，表明Iriomote岛和Tsushima岛分别在大约20万年和10万年的地理隔离中存在遗传漂变和/或近亲繁殖。3)对2只野猫进行MHCⅱ类DRB位点检测，获得部分等位基因。目前，正在对它们的序列进行系统发育分析。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.