Abstract

Novel nuclear and mitochondrial genetic markers have been developed and characterized in varied species and populations, facilitated by rapid advances in comparative genomics and the increasing availability of sequence data. The results have contributed to our understanding of the evolutionary history of carnivore and felid species and to the population dynamics and molecular ecology of Iberian lynx, Canada lynx, clouded leopard, tiger, leopard, cheetah, Darwin's fox, and Florida panther. A radiation-hybrid genetic map of the alpaca is providing additional tools for comparative genomic studies in mammals, especially among ungulate species. Concordant phylogenetic and phylogeogrpahic studies of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) transmission among free-ranging cat populations allows a glimpse of the process of emerging infections in species well suited for discovery of these events. Insights gained from these studies reveal evolved mechanisms for immune and natural defenses against fatal infections and neoplastic diseases.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Division of Basic Sciences - NCI (NCI)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01BC005367-21
Application #
7038508
Study Section
(LGD)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
21
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Basic Sciences
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code

  Publications

Luo, Shu-Jin; Johnson, Warren E; Martenson, Janice et al. (2008) Subspecies genetic assignments of worldwide captive tigers increase conservation value of captive populations. Curr Biol 18:592-6
Trigo, T C; Freitas, T R O; Kunzler, G et al. (2008) Inter-species hybridization among Neotropical cats of the genus Leopardus, and evidence for an introgressive hybrid zone between L. geoffroyi and L. tigrinus in southern Brazil. Mol Ecol :
Menotti-Raymond, Marilyn; David, Victor A; Pflueger, Solveig M et al. (2008) Patterns of molecular genetic variation among cat breeds. Genomics 91:1-11
Napolitano, Constanza; Bennett, Magdalena; Johnson, Warren E et al. (2008) Ecological and biogeographical inferences on two sympatric and enigmatic Andean cat species using genetic identification of faecal samples. Mol Ecol 17:678-90
Wilting, Andreas; Buckley-Beason, Valerie A; Feldhaar, Heike et al. (2007) Clouded leopard phylogeny revisited: support for species recognition and population division between Borneo and Sumatra. Front Zool 4:15
Kim, Jae-Heup; Antunes, Agostinho; Luo, Shu-Jin et al. (2006) Evolutionary analysis of a large mtDNA translocation (numt) into the nuclear genome of the Panthera genus species. Gene 366:292-302
Johnson, Warren E; Eizirik, Eduardo; Pecon-Slattery, Jill et al. (2006) The late Miocene radiation of modern Felidae: a genetic assessment. Science 311:73-7
Teeling, Emma C; Springer, Mark S; Madsen, Ole et al. (2005) A molecular phylogeny for bats illuminates biogeography and the fossil record. Science 307:580-4
Roca, Alfred L; Georgiadis, Nicholas; O'Brien, Stephen J (2005) Cytonuclear genomic dissociation in African elephant species. Nat Genet 37:96-100
Troyer, Jennifer L; Pecon-Slattery, Jill; Roelke, Melody E et al. (2005) Seroprevalence and genomic divergence of circulating strains of feline immunodeficiency virus among Felidae and Hyaenidae species. J Virol 79:8282-94

Showing the most recent 10 out of 12 publications