Across the distribution of the Caspian whipsnake (), populations have become increasingly disconnected due to habitat alteration. To understand population dynamics and this widespread but locally endangered snake's adaptive potential, we investigated population structure, admixture, and effective migration patterns. We took a landscape-genomic approach to identify selected genotypes associated with environmental variables relevant to .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDromedaries have been essential for the prosperity of civilizations in arid environments and the dispersal of humans, goods and cultures along ancient, cross-continental trading routes. With increasing desertification their importance as livestock species is rising rapidly, but little is known about their genome-wide diversity and demographic history. As previous studies using few nuclear markers found weak phylogeographic structure, here we detected fine-scale population differentiation in dromedaries across Asia and Africa by adopting a genome-wide approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study brings new information on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class III sub-region genes in Old World camels and integrates current knowledge of the MHC region into a comprehensive overview for Old World camels. Out of the MHC class III genes characterized, and the LY6 gene family showed high levels of conservation, characteristic for MHC class III loci in general. For comparison, an MHC class II gene , not coding for antigen presenting molecules but functionally related to MHC antigen presenting functions was studied.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF