Dataset Information

Genetic Differentiation and Demographic Trajectory of the Insular Formosan and Orii's Flying Foxes.

ABSTRACT: Insular flying foxes are keystone species in island ecosystems due to their critical roles in plant pollination and seed dispersal. These species are vulnerable to population decline because of their small populations and low reproductive rates. The Formosan flying fox (Pteropus dasymallus formosus) is one of the 5 subspecies of the Ryukyu flying fox. Pteropus dasymallus formosus has suffered from a severe decline and is currently recognized as a critically endangered population in Taiwan. On the contrary, the Orii's flying fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) is a relatively stable population inhabiting Okinawa Island. Here, we applied a genomic approach called double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing to study these 2 subspecies for a total of 7 individuals. We detected significant genetic structure between the 2 populations. Despite their contrasting contemporary population sizes, both populations harbor very low degrees of genetic diversity. We further inferred their demographic history based on the joint folded site frequency spectrum and revealed that both P. d. formosus and P. d. inopinatus had maintained small population sizes for a long period of time after their divergence. Recently, these populations experienced distinct trajectories of demographic changes. While P. d. formosus suffered from a drastic ~10-fold population decline not long ago, P. d. inopinatus underwent a ~4.5-fold population expansion. Our results suggest separate conservation management for the 2 populations-population recovery is urgently needed for P. d. formosus while long-term monitoring for adverse genetic effects should be considered for P. d. inopinatus.

SUBMITTER: Lin KP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8006818 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundHendra virus (HeV) has caused lethal disease outbreaks in humans and horses in Australia. Flying foxes are the wildlife reservoir from which the virus was first isolated in 1996. Following a heat stress mortality event in Australian flying foxes in 2013, a novel HeV variant was discovered. This study describes the subsequent surveillance of Australian flying foxes for this novel virus over a nine year period using qRT-PCR testing of tissues from flying foxes submitted primarily for Australian bat lyssavirus diagnosis. Genome sequencing and characterisation of the novel HeV variant was also undertaken.MethodsSpleen and kidney samples harvested from flying fox carcasses were initially screened with two real-time qRT-PCR assays specific for the prototype HeV. Two additional qRT-PCR assays were developed specific for the HeV variant first detected in samples from a flying fox in 2013. Next-generation sequencing and virus isolation was attempted from selected samples to further characterise the new virus.ResultsSince 2013, 98 flying foxes were tested and 11 were positive for the new HeV variant. No samples were positive for the original HeV. Ten of the positive samples were from grey-headed flying foxes (GHFF, Pteropus poliocephalus), however this species was over-represented in the opportunistic sampling (83% of bats tested were GHFF). The positive GHFF samples were collected from Victoria and South Australia and one positive Little red flying fox (LRFF, Pteropus scapulatus) was collected from Western Australia. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of henipavirus antigen, associated with an inflammatory lesion in cardiac blood vessels of one GHFF. Positive samples were sequenced and the complete genome was obtained from three samples. When compared to published HeV genomes, there was 84% sequence identity at the nucleotide level. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the newly detected HeV belongs to the HeV species but occupies a distinct lineage. We have therefore designated this virus HeV genotype 2 (HeV-g2). Attempts to isolate virus from PCR positive samples have not been successful.ConclusionsA novel HeV genotype (HeV-g2) has been identified in two flying fox species submitted from three states in Australia, indicating that the level of genetic diversity for HeV is broader than first recognised. Given its high genetic relatedness to HeV, HeV-g2 is a zoonotic pathogen.

Dataset Information

Genetic Differentiation and Demographic Trajectory of the Insular Formosan and Orii's Flying Foxes.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets