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Low MHC class II diversity in the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)

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Abstract

The largest remaining carnivorous marsupial, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), is currently under threat of extinction due to a fatal contagious cancer—devil facial tumour disease. Low major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I diversity is believed to have contributed to the transmission of the tumour allograft through devil populations. Here, we report low MHC class II variability in this species, with DA β chain genes (Saha-DAB1, 2 and 3) exhibiting very limited diversity and the sole α chain gene (Saha-DAA) monomorphic. Three, six and three alleles were found at Saha-DAB1, 2 and 3, respectively, with a predominant allele found at each locus. Heterozygosity at these three loci is low in the eastern population and modestly higher in northwestern individuals. The results are indicative of a selective sweep likely due to an infectious disease resulting in the fixation of selectively favoured alleles and depletion of genetic diversity at devil class II loci. Several attempts were made to isolate the other marsupial classical class II gene family, namely, DB, resulting in only one DBB pseudogene being found. These findings further support the view that this species has a compromised capacity to respond to pathogen evolution, emerging infectious diseases and environmental changes.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Australian Research Council. KB and MJ are supported by ARC Future Fellowships. YC is supported by an Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. We thank Rodrigo Hamede and Shelley Lachish at the University of Tasmania for sample collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, RMC Gunn B19, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Yuanyuan Cheng, Claire Sanderson & Katherine Belov

  2. School of Zoology, University of Tasmania, TAS, Australia

    Menna Jones

Authors
  1. Yuanyuan Cheng
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  2. Claire Sanderson
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  3. Menna Jones
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  4. Katherine Belov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katherine Belov.

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Genotype data of 60 Tasmanian devils at MHC Class II loci (PDF 43 kb)

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Cheng, Y., Sanderson, C., Jones, M. et al. Low MHC class II diversity in the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii). Immunogenetics 64, 525–533 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-012-0614-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-012-0614-4

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