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From genome-wide to candidate gene: an investigation of variation at the major histocompatibility complex in common bottlenose dolphins exposed to harmful algal blooms.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Cammen, KM; Wilcox, LA; Rosel, PE; Wells, RS; Read, AJ
Published in: Immunogenetics
February 2015

The role the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays in response to exposure to environmental toxins is relatively poorly understood, particularly in comparison to its well-described role in pathogen immunity. We investigated associations between MHC diversity and resistance to brevetoxins in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). A previous genome-wide association study investigating an apparent difference in harmful algal bloom (HAB) resistance among dolphin populations in the Gulf of Mexico identified genetic variation associated with survival in close genomic proximity to multiple MHC class II loci. Here, we characterized genetic variation at DQA, DQB, DRA, and DRB loci in dolphins from central-west Florida and the Florida Panhandle, including dolphins that died during HABs and dolphins presumed to have survived HAB exposure. We found that DRB and DQB exhibited patterns of genetic differentiation among geographic regions that differed from neutral microsatellite loci. In addition, genetic differentiation at DRB across multiple pairwise comparisons of live and dead dolphins was greater than differentiation observed at neutral loci. Our findings at these MHC loci did not approach the strength of association with survival previously described for a nearby genetic variant. However, the results provide evidence that selective pressures at the MHC vary among dolphin populations that differ in the frequency of HAB exposure and that the overall composition of DRB variants differs between dolphin survivors and non-survivors of HABs. These results may suggest a potential role of MHC diversity in variable survival of bottlenose dolphins exposed to HABs.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Immunogenetics

DOI

EISSN

1432-1211

ISSN

0093-7711

Publication Date

February 2015

Volume

67

Issue

2

Start / End Page

125 / 133

Related Subject Headings

  • Oxocins
  • Marine Toxins
  • Immunology
  • Harmful Algal Bloom
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genes, MHC Class II
  • Florida
  • DNA
  • Bottle-Nosed Dolphin
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Cammen, K. M., Wilcox, L. A., Rosel, P. E., Wells, R. S., & Read, A. J. (2015). From genome-wide to candidate gene: an investigation of variation at the major histocompatibility complex in common bottlenose dolphins exposed to harmful algal blooms. Immunogenetics, 67(2), 125–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-014-0818-x
Cammen, Kristina M., Lynsey A. Wilcox, Patricia E. Rosel, Randall S. Wells, and Andrew J. Read. “From genome-wide to candidate gene: an investigation of variation at the major histocompatibility complex in common bottlenose dolphins exposed to harmful algal blooms.Immunogenetics 67, no. 2 (February 2015): 125–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-014-0818-x.
Cammen, Kristina M., et al. “From genome-wide to candidate gene: an investigation of variation at the major histocompatibility complex in common bottlenose dolphins exposed to harmful algal blooms.Immunogenetics, vol. 67, no. 2, Feb. 2015, pp. 125–33. Epmc, doi:10.1007/s00251-014-0818-x.
Journal cover image

Published In

Immunogenetics

DOI

EISSN

1432-1211

ISSN

0093-7711

Publication Date

February 2015

Volume

67

Issue

2

Start / End Page

125 / 133

Related Subject Headings

  • Oxocins
  • Marine Toxins
  • Immunology
  • Harmful Algal Bloom
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genes, MHC Class II
  • Florida
  • DNA
  • Bottle-Nosed Dolphin