Candidate gene microsatellite variation is associated with parasitism in wild bighorn sheep.

ABSTRACT: The loss of genetic variation in host populations is thought to increase host susceptibility to parasites. However, few data exist to test this hypothesis in natural populations. Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations occasionally suffer disease-induced population declines, allowing us to test for the associations between reduced genetic variation and parasitism in this species. Here, we show that individual mean heterozygosity for 15 microsatellite loci is associated with lungworm abundance (Protostrongylus spp.) in a small, recently bottlenecked population of bighorn sheep (linear regression, r2=0.339, p=0.007). This association remains significant for seven microsatellites located in genes (p=0.010), but not for eight neutral microsatellites (p=0.306). Furthermore, heterozygotes at

SUBMITTER: Luikart G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2429941 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature