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Abstract
The anthropogenic impact on wildlife is ever increasing. With shrinking habitats, wild populations are being pushed to co-exist in proximity to humans leading to an increased threat of infectious diseases. Therefore, understanding the immune system of a species is key to assess its resilience in a changing environment. The innate immune system (IIS) is the body’s first line of defense against pathogens. High variability in IIS genes, like toll-like receptor (TLR) genes, appears to be associated with resistance to infectious diseases. However, few studies have investigated diversity in TLR genes in vulnerable species for conservation. Large predators are threatened globally including leopards and cheetahs, both listed as 'vulnerable' by IUCN. To examine IIS diversity in these sympatric species, we used next-generation-sequencing to compare selected TLR genes in African leopards and cheetahs. Despite differences, both species show some TLR haplotype similarity. Historic cheetahs from all subspecies exhibit greater genetic diversity than modern Southern African cheetahs. The diversity in investigated TLR genes is lower in modern Southern African cheetahs than in African leopards. Compared to historic cheetah data and other subspecies, a more recent population decline might explain the observed genetic impoverishment of TLR genes in modern Southern African cheetahs. However, this may not yet impact the health of this cheetah subspecies.
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Details
1 University of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.6583.8) (ISNI:0000 0000 9686 6466)
2 South African National Biodiversity Institute, National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, South Africa (GRID:grid.452736.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 2166 5237)
3 South African National Biodiversity Institute, National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, South Africa (GRID:grid.452736.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 2166 5237); WWF South African, Newlands, South Africa (GRID:grid.452736.1)
4 South African National Biodiversity Institute, National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, South Africa (GRID:grid.452736.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 2166 5237); University of the Free State, Bloemfontein Campus, Bloemfontein, South Africa (GRID:grid.412219.d) (ISNI:0000 0001 2284 638X)
5 South African National Biodiversity Institute, National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, South Africa (GRID:grid.452736.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 2166 5237); University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland (GRID:grid.10858.34) (ISNI:0000 0001 0941 4873)
6 University of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Animal Genetics, Brno, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.412968.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 1009 2154); University of Veterinary Sciences Brno (CEITEC Vetuni), Central European Institute of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic (GRID:grid.454751.6) (ISNI:0000 0004 0494 4180)
7 South African National Biodiversity Institute, National Zoological Garden, Pretoria, South Africa (GRID:grid.452736.1) (ISNI:0000 0001 2166 5237); Teesside University, School of Health and Life Science, Middlesbrough, UK (GRID:grid.26597.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 2325 1783)