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Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals lower than expected genetic diversity in the threatened leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in South Korea

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Abstract

To optimize conservation efforts, it is necessary to determine the risk of extinction by collecting reliable population information for a given species. We developed eight novel, polymorphic microsatellite markers and used these markers in conjunction with twelve existing markers to measure genetic diversity of South Korean populations of leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), a species for which population size and habitat area data are unknown in the country, to assess its conservation status. The average number of alleles and the observed heterozygosity of the species were 3.8 and 0.41, respectively, and microsatellite diversity was lower than the average genetic diversity of 57 populations of 12 other felid species, and lower than that of other mammal populations occurring in South Korea, including the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), water deer (Hydropotes inermis), and endangered long-tailed goral (Naemorhedus caudatus). Furthermore, analysis of genetic structure in the national leopard cat population showed no clear genetic differentiation, suggesting that it is not necessary to divide the South Korean leopard cat population into multiple management units for the purposes of conservation. These results indicate that the genetic diversity of the leopard cat in South Korea is unexpectedly low, and that the risk of local extinction is, as a result, substantial. Thus, it is necessary to begin appropriate conservation efforts at a national level to conserve the leopard cat population in South Korea.

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Acknowledgements

We thank members of the Eo lab for their comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from the Kongju National University in 2013 and a grant from the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), funded by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of the Republic of Korea (NIBR201603103).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Yesan, Chungnam, South Korea

    Byung June Ko & Soo Hyung Eo

  2. National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), Incheon, South Korea

    Junghwa An, Hong Seomun & Mu-Yeong Lee

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  1. Byung June Ko
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  2. Junghwa An
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  3. Hong Seomun
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  4. Mu-Yeong Lee
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Correspondence to Soo Hyung Eo.

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Byung June Ko, Junghwa An, Hong Seomun, Mu-Yeong Lee, and Soo Hyung Eo declares that they have no conflict of interest.

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All animal experiments throughout the study were conducted in accordance with guidelines of The Ministry of Environment for the care and use of animals.

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Ko, B.J., An, J., Seomun, H. et al. Microsatellite DNA analysis reveals lower than expected genetic diversity in the threatened leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in South Korea. Genes Genom 40, 521–530 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13258-018-0654-8

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