EPAS1 variants in high altitude Tibetan wolves were selectively introgressed into highland dogs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Admixture can facilitate adaptation. For example, black wolves have obtained the variant causing black coat color through past hybridization with domestic dogs and have higher fitness than gray colored wolves. Another recent example of the transfer of adaptive variation between the two species has been suggested by the similarity between high altitude Tibetan mastiffs and wolves at the EPAS1 gene, a transcription factor induced in low oxygen environments.

Methods

Here, we investigate the directionality of admixture in EPAS1 between 28 reference highland gray wolves, 15 reference domestic dogs, and 21 putatively admixed highland wolves. This experimental design represents an expanded sample of Asian dogs and wolves from previous studies. Admixture was

SUBMITTER: vonHoldt B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5510585 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature