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Genetic variation within native populations of endemic silkmoth Antheraea assamensis (Helfer) from Northeast India indicates need for in situ conservation.

ABSTRACT: A. assamensis is a phytophagous Lepidoptera from Northeast India reared on host trees of Lauraceae family for its characteristic cocoon silk. Source of these cocoons are domesticated farm stocks that crash frequently and/or wild insect populations that provide new cultures. The need to reduce dependence on wild populations for cocoons necessitates assessment of genetic diversity in cultivated and wild populations. Molecular markers based on PCR of Inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and simple sequence repeats (SSR) were used with four populations of wild insects and eleven populations of cultivated insects. Wild populations had high genetic diversity estimates (H(i) = 0.25; H(S) = 0.28; H(E) = 0.42) and at least one population contained private alleles. Both marker systems indicated that genetic variability within populations examined was significantly high. Among cultivated populations, insects of the Upper Assam region (H(i) = 0.19; H(S) = 0.18; H(E) = 0) were genetically distinct (F(ST) = 0.38 with both marker systems) from insects of Lower Assam (H(i) =0.24; H(S) =0.25; H(E) = 0.3). Sequencing of polymorphic amplicons suggested transposition as a mechanism for maintaining genomic diversity. Implications for conservation of native populations in the wild and preserving in-farm diversity are discussed.

SUBMITTER: Singh YT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3503872 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genetic variation within native populations of endemic silkmoth Antheraea assamensis (Helfer) from Northeast India indicates need for in situ conservation.

Singh Y Tunginba YT Mazumdar-Leighton Sudeshna S Saikia Mahaswetta M Pant Prashant P Kashung Sochanngam S Neog Kartik K Chakravorty Rajen R Nair Suresh S Nagaraju Javaregowda J Babu Cheerukeri Raghavendra CR

PloS one 20121121 11

A. assamensis is a phytophagous Lepidoptera from Northeast India reared on host trees of Lauraceae family for its characteristic cocoon silk. Source of these cocoons are domesticated farm stocks that crash frequently and/or wild insect populations that provide new cultures. The need to reduce dependence on wild populations for cocoons necessitates assessment of genetic diversity in cultivated and wild populations. Molecular markers based on PCR of Inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and simple ...[more]

PMID: 23185503

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Project description:BackgroundThe Indian golden saturniid silkmoth (Antheraea assama), popularly known as muga silkmoth, is a semi-domesticated silk producing insect confined to a narrow habitat range of the northeastern region of India. Owing to the prevailing socio-political problems, the muga silkworm habitats in the northeastern region have not been accessible hampering the phylogeography studies of this rare silkmoth. Recently, we have been successful in our attempt to collect muga cocoon samples, although to a limited extent, from their natural habitats. Out of 87 microsatellite markers developed previously for A. assama, 13 informative markers were employed to genotype 97 individuals from six populations and analyzed their population structure and genetic variation.Methodology/principal findingsWe observed highly significant genetic diversity in one of the populations (WWS-1, a population derived from West Garo Hills region of Meghalaya state). Further analysis with and without WWS-1 population revealed that dramatic genetic differentiation (global F(ST)?= 0.301) was due to high genetic diversity contributed by WWS-1 population. Analysis of the remaining five populations (excluding WWS-1) showed a marked reduction in the number of alleles at all the employed loci. Structure analysis showed the presence of only two clusters: one formed by WWS-1 population and the other included the remaining five populations, inferring that there is no significant genetic diversity within and between these five populations, and suggesting that these five populations are probably derived from a single population. Patterns of recent population bottlenecks were not evident in any of the six populations studied.Conclusions/significanceA. assama inhabiting the WWS-1 region revealed very high genetic diversity, and was genetically divergent from the five populations studied. The efforts should be continued to identify and study such populations from this region as well as other muga silkworm habitats. The information generated will be very useful in conservation of dwindling muga culture in Northeast India.

Dataset Information

Genetic variation within native populations of endemic silkmoth Antheraea assamensis (Helfer) from Northeast India indicates need for in situ conservation.

Publications

Genetic variation within native populations of endemic silkmoth Antheraea assamensis (Helfer) from Northeast India indicates need for in situ conservation.

Similar Datasets

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