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Characterization of MHC class IA in the endangered southern corroboree frog

Immunogenetics volume 69, pages 165–174 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Southern corroboree frogs (Pseudophryne corroboree) have declined to near extinction in the wild after the emergence of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in southeastern Australia in the 1980s. A major captive breeding and reintroduction program is underway to preserve this iconic species, but improving resistance to B. dendrobatidis would help the wild population to be self-sustaining. Using 3′ and 5′ rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends (RACE), we characterized the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class IA locus in this species. We then used sequences generated from RACE to design primers to amplify the peptide-binding region (PBR) of this functional genetic marker. Finally, we analysed the diversity, phylogeny, and selection patterns of PBR sequences from four P. corroboree populations and compared this with other amphibian species. We found moderately high MHC class IA genetic diversity in this species and evidence of strong positive and purifying selection at sites that are associated with putative PBR pockets in other species, indicating that this gene region may be under selection for resistance to Bd. Future studies should focus on identifying alleles associated with Bd resistance in P. corroboree by performing a Bd laboratory challenge study to confirm the functional importance of our genetic findings and explore their use in artificial selection or genetic engineering to increase resistance to chytridiomycosis.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Gerry Marantelli of the Amphibian Research Centre for providing the P. corroboree used in this study. Funding was provided by the Australian Research Council grants LP110200240 and FT100100375, the National Research Foundation of Korea grant 2015R1D1A1A01057282 (to B.W.) funded by the government of the Republic of Korea (MOE), the Taronga Conservation Society, and the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. One Health Research Group, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia

    Tiffany A. Kosch, Laura A. Brannelly, Lee Berger & Lee F. Skerratt

  2. Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Tiffany A. Kosch, Lee Berger & Lee F. Skerratt

  3. School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea

    John A. Eimes, Chelsea Didinger & Bruce Waldman

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  1. Tiffany A. Kosch
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  2. John A. Eimes
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Correspondence to Tiffany A. Kosch.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Ethical approval was granted by James Cook University for this study under application A1875, entitled “Innate and adaptive immune mechanisms against amphibian chytrid fungus and non-chemotherapeutic treatment methods”.

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Kosch, T.A., Eimes, J.A., Didinger, C. et al. Characterization of MHC class IA in the endangered southern corroboree frog. Immunogenetics 69, 165–174 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-016-0965-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-016-0965-3

Keywords

  • Major histocompatibility complex
  • Pseudophryne corroboree
  • Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
  • Genetic variation
  • Chytrid fungus
  • Amphibian declines