Discongruence of Mhc and cytochrome b phylogeographical patterns in Myodes glareolus (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

• Published in: Biological journal of the Linnean Society Vol. 105; no. 4; pp. 881 - 899
• Main Authors: MALÉ, PIERRE-JEAN G., MARTIN, JEAN-FRANÇOIS, GALAN, MAXIME, DEFFONTAINE, VALÉRIE, BRYJA, JOSEF, COSSON, JEAN-FRANÇOIS, MICHAUX, JOHAN, CHARBONNEL, NATHALIE
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2012; Linnean Society of London; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Balancing selection; Bank voles; Biodiversity; Clethrionomys glareolus; Cricetidae; Diversity; Europe; Hantavirus; Immunogenetics; Last Glacial; Life Sciences; Molecular epidemiology; Muridae; Myodes; Populations and Evolution; Puumala hantavirus; Puumala virus; Rodentia; Sciences du vivant; Zoologie; Zoology; Zoonoses; molecular epidemiology; campagnol roussatre; diversité; bank voles; HISTOIRE; spatial distribution; phylogéographie; diversity; GENETIQUE DES POPULATIONS; Puumala hantavirus; histocompatibilité (CMH); rodent; hantavirus Puumala; immunogénétique; europe; zoonose; rongeur; BIOLOGIE DES POPULATIONS; zoonoses; épidémiologie moléculaire; distribution spatiale; immunogenêtics; séquençage; biologic evolution; agent pathogène; évolution biologique; pathogen; balancing selection; sélection d'équilibrage
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01799.x
• ISSN: 0024-4066; 1095-8312

In the present study, a phylogeographical approach was developed to analyse the influence of selection and history on a major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) class II gene polymorphism in European bank vole (Myodes glareolus) populations. We focused on exon 2 of the Dqa gene because it is highly variable in a large array of species and appears to evolve under pathogen‐mediated selection in several rodent species. Using single‐strand conformation polymorphism analysis and sequencing techniques, 17 Dqa‐exon2 alleles, belonging to at least two different copies of Dqa gene, were detected over the distribution range of M. glareolus. Evidence of selection was found using molecular and population analyses. At the molecular level, we detected 13 codons evolving under positive selection pressures, most of them corresponding to regions coding for putative antigen binding sites of the protein. At the European level, we compared patterns of population structure for the Dqa‐exon2 and cytochrome b (cyt b) gene. We did not detect any spatial genetic structure among M. glareolus populations for the Dqa‐exon2. These results strongly differed from those obtained using the cyt b gene, which indicated a recent phylogeographical history closely linked to the last glacial events. Seven mitochondrial lineages have yet been described, which correspond to major glacial refugia. Altogether, our results revealed clear evidence of balancing selection acting on Dqa‐exon2 and maintaining polymorphism over large geographical areas despite M. glareolus history. It is thus likely that Mhc phylogeographical variability could have been shaped by local adaptation to pathogens. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 105, 881–899.