Dataset Information

Population structure and evolutionary history of the greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) from the Guinean Forests of West Africa.

ABSTRACT: Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) is a large-body old world rodent found in sub-Saharan Africa. The body size and the unique taste of the meat of this major crop pest have made it a target of intense hunting and a potential consideration as a micro-livestock. However, there is insufficient knowledge on the genetic diversity of its populations across African Guinean forests. Herein, we investigated the genetic diversity, population structures and evolutionary history of seven Nigerian wild grasscutter populations together with individuals from Cameroon, Republic of Benin, and Ghana, using five mitochondrial fragments, including D-loop and cytochrome b (CYTB). D-loop haplotype diversity ranged from 0.571 (± 0.149) in Republic of Benin to 0.921 (± 0.013) in Ghana. Within Nigeria, the haplotype diversity ranged from 0.659 (± 0.059) in Cross River to 0.837 (± 0.075) in Ondo subpopulation. The fixation index (F_ST), haplotype frequency distribution and analysis of molecular variance revealed varying levels of population structures across populations. No significant signature of population contraction was detected in the grasscutter populations. Evolutionary analyses of CYTB suggests that South African population might have diverged from other populations about 6.1 (2.6-10.18, 95% CI) MYA. Taken together, this study reveals the population status and evolutionary history of grasscutter populations in the region.

SUBMITTER: Babarinde IA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10010571 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Population structure and evolutionary history of the greater cane rat (<i>Thryonomys swinderianus</i>) from the Guinean Forests of West Africa.

Babarinde Isaac A IA Adeola Adeniyi C AC Djagoun Chabi A M S CAMS Nneji Lotanna M LM Okeyoyin Agboola O AO Niba George G Wanzie Ndifor K NK Oladipo Ojo C OC Adebambo Ayotunde O AO Bello Semiu F SF Ng'ang'a Said I SI Olaniyi Wasiu A WA Okoro Victor M O VMO Adedeji Babatunde E BE Olatunde Omotoso O Ayoola Adeola O AO Matouke Moise M MM Wang Yun-Yu YY Sanke Oscar J OJ Oseni Saidu O SO Nwani Christopher D CD Murphy Robert W RW

Frontiers in genetics 20230227

Grasscutter (<i>Thryonomys swinderianus</i>) is a large-body old world rodent found in sub-Saharan Africa. The body size and the unique taste of the meat of this major crop pest have made it a target of intense hunting and a potential consideration as a micro-livestock. However, there is insufficient knowledge on the genetic diversity of its populations across African Guinean forests. Herein, we investigated the genetic diversity, population structures and evolutionary history of seven Nigerian ...[more]

PMID: 36923796

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Project description:BackgroundNeocortex development has been extensively studied in altricial rodents such as mouse and rat. Identification of alternative animal models along the "altricial-precocial" spectrum in order to better model and understand neocortex development is warranted. The Greater cane rat (GCR, Thyronomys swinderianus) is an indigenous precocial African rodent. Although basic aspects of brain development in the GCR have been documented, detailed information on neocortex development including the occurrence and abundance of the distinct types of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the GCR are lacking.MethodsGCR embryos and fetuses were obtained from timed pregnant dams between gestation days 50-140 and their neocortex was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining using characteristic marker proteins for NPCs, neurons and glia cells. Data were compared with existing data on closely related precocial and altricial species, i.e. guinea pig and dwarf rabbit.ResultsThe primary sequence of neuro- and gliogenesis, and neuronal maturation is preserved in the prenatal GCR neocortex. We show that the GCR exhibits a relatively long period of cortical neurogenesis of 70 days. The subventricular zone becomes the major NPC pool during mid-end stages of neurogenesis with Pax6 + NPCs constituting the major basal progenitor subtype in the GCR neocortex. Whereas dendrite formation in the GCR cortical plate appears to initiate immediately after the onset of neurogenesis, major aspects of axon formation and maturation, and astrogenesis do not begin until mid-neurogenesis. Similar to the guinea pig, the GCR neocortex exhibits a high maturation status, containing neurons with well-developed dendrites and myelinated axons and astrocytes at birth, thus providing further evidence for the notion that a great proportion of neocortex growth and maturation in precocial mammals occurs before birth.ConclusionsTogether, this work has deepened our understanding of neocortex development of the GCR, of the timing and the cellular differences that regulate brain growth and development within the altricial-precocial spectrum and its suitability as a research model for neurodevelopmental studies. The timelines of brain development provided by this study may serve as empirical reference data and foundation in future studies in order to model and better understand neurodevelopment and associated alterations.

Dataset Information

Population structure and evolutionary history of the greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) from the Guinean Forests of West Africa.

Publications

Population structure and evolutionary history of the greater cane rat (<i>Thryonomys swinderianus</i>) from the Guinean Forests of West Africa.

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