Cited by 19Genetic diversity and population structureForensic and Genetic ResearchGenetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

Population genomics of the muskox' resilience in the near absence of genetic variation

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Pečnerová, Patrícia, Lord, Edana, Garcia‐Erill, Genís, Hanghøj, Kristian, Rasmussen, Malthe Sebro, Meisner, Jonas, Liu, Xiaodong, van der Valk, Tom +23 more·2024·Molecular Ecology

Abstract

Genomic studies of species threatened by extinction are providing crucial information about evolutionary mechanisms and genetic consequences of population declines and bottlenecks. However, to understand how species avoid the extinction vortex, insights can be drawn by studying species that thrive despite past declines. Here, we studied the population genomics of the muskox (Ovibos moschatus), an Ice Age relict that was at the brink of extinction for thousands of years at the end of the Pleistocene yet appears to be thriving today. We analysed 108 whole genomes, including present‐day individuals representing the current native range of both muskox subspecies, the white‐faced and the barren‐ground muskox (O. moschatus wardi and O. moschatus moschatus) and a ~21,000‐year‐old ancient individual from Siberia. We found that the muskox' demographic history was profoundly shaped by past climate changes and post‐glacial re‐colonizations. In particular, the white‐faced muskox has the lowest genome‐wide heterozygosity recorded in an ungulate. Yet, there is no evidence of inbreeding depression in native muskox populations. We hypothesize that this can be explained by the effect of long‐term gradual population declines that allowed for purging of strongly deleterious mutations. This study provides insights into how species with a history of population bottlenecks, small population sizes and low genetic diversity survive against all odds.

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Authors
Pečnerová, P., Lord, E., Garcia‐Erill, G., Hanghøj, K., Rasmussen, M. S., Meisner, J., Liu, X., van der Valk, T., Santander, C. G., Quinn, L., Lin, L., Liu, S., Carøe, C., Dalerum, F., Götherström, A., Måsviken, J., Vartanyan, S., Raundrup, K., Al‐Chaer, A., Rasmussen, L., Hvilsom, C., Heide‐Jørgensen, M. P., Sinding, M. S., Aastrup, P., Van Coeverden de Groot, P. J., Schmidt, N. M., Albrechtsen, A., Dalén, L., Heller, R., Moltke, I., & Siegismund, H. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Stockholm University (SE)
  • Centre for Palaeogenetics Stockholm Sweden
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
  • Russian Academy of Sciences (RU)
  • Grønlands Naturinstitut (GL)
  • Copenhagen Zoo (DK)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • Department of Biology Queen's University Kingston Ontario Canada
Corresponding author
Pečnerová, Patrícia
Venue
Molecular Ecology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2023-11-16
Volume
33
Issue
2
Pages
e17205-e17205
ISSN
  • 0962-1083 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-294X
OpenAlex
W4388733763
Cited by
19
References
150
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8
FWCI
3.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Molecular Ecology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria) (submittedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Carlsbergfondet (CF20‐0539)
  • Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond (8021‐00344B)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
Keywords
Ovibos moschatus, population genomics, genetic diversity, heterozygosity, inbreeding depression, purging of deleterious mutations, population bottleneck, postglacial recolonization, Pleistocene climate change, ancient DNA, demographic history
MeSH terms
Animals, Biological Evolution, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Ruminants, Genetic Variation, Genomics, Resilience, Psychological, Metagenomics

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