Very high MHC Class IIB diversity without spatial differentiation in the mediterranean population of greater Flamingos.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Selective pressure from pathogens is thought to shape the allelic diversity of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes in vertebrates. In particular, both local adaptation to pathogens and gene flow are thought to explain a large part of the intraspecific variation observed in MHC allelic diversity. To date, however, evidence that adaptation to locally prevalent pathogens maintains MHC variation is limited to species with limited dispersal and, hence, reduced gene flow. On the one hand high gene flow can disrupt local adaptation in species with high dispersal rates, on the other hand such species are much more likely to experience spatial variation in pathogen pressure, suggesting that there may be intense pathogen mediated selection pressure operating across breedi

SUBMITTER: Gillingham MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5319168 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature