Titel
The genetic impact of an Ebola outbreak on a wild gorilla population
Autor*in
Claudia Fontsere
Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB
Autor*in
Peter Frandsen
Research and Conservation, Copenhagen Zoo
Autor*in
Jessica Hernandez-Rodriguez
Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), PRBB
... show all
Abstract
Background: Numerous Ebola virus outbreaks have occurred in Equatorial Africa over the past decades. Besides human fatalities, gorillas and chimpanzees have also succumbed to the fatal virus. The 2004 outbreak at the Odzala-Kokoua National Park (Republic of Congo) alone caused a severe decline in the resident western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) population, with a 95% mortality rate. Here, we explore the immediate genetic impact of the Ebola outbreak in the western lowland gorilla population. Results: Associations with survivorship were evaluated by utilizing DNA obtained from fecal samples from 16 gorilla individuals declared missing after the outbreak (non-survivors) and 15 individuals observed before and after the epidemic (survivors). We used a target enrichment approach to capture the sequences of 123 genes previously associated with immunology and Ebola virus resistance and additionally analyzed the gut microbiome which could influence the survival after an infection. Our results indicate no changes in the population genetic diversity before and after the Ebola outbreak, and no significant differences in microbial community composition between survivors and non-survivors. However, and despite the low power for an association analysis, we do detect six nominally significant missense mutations in four genes that might be candidate variants associated with an increased chance of survival. Conclusion: This study offers the first insight to the genetics of a wild great ape population before and after an Ebola outbreak using target capture experiments from fecal samples, and presents a list of candidate loci that may have facilitated their survival.
Stichwort
Ebolagorillanon-invasive samplescandidate genes
Objekt-Typ
Sprache
Englisch [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1610872
Erschienen in
Titel
BMC Genomics
Band
22
ISSN
1471-2164
Erscheinungsdatum
2021
Verlag
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Projektnummer
676154 – European Union (all programmes)
Projektnummer
864203 – European Union (all programmes)
Erscheinungsdatum
2021
Zugänglichkeit
Rechteangabe
© The Author(s) 2021

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