Genomics-informed captive breeding can reduce inbreeding depression and the genetic load in zoo populations
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Genomics-informed captive breeding can reduce inbreeding depression and the genetic load in zoo populations. / Speak, Samuel A.; Birley, Thomas; Bortoluzzi, Chiara; Clark, Matthew D.; Percival-Alwyn, Lawrence; Morales, Hernán E.; van Oosterhout, Cock.
In: Molecular Ecology Resources, 2024.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Genomics-informed captive breeding can reduce inbreeding depression and the genetic load in zoo populations
AU - Speak, Samuel A.
AU - Birley, Thomas
AU - Bortoluzzi, Chiara
AU - Clark, Matthew D.
AU - Percival-Alwyn, Lawrence
AU - Morales, Hernán E.
AU - van Oosterhout, Cock
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Zoo populations of threatened species are a valuable resource for the restoration of wild populations. However, their small effective population size poses a risk to long-term viability, especially in species with high genetic load. Recent bioinformatic developments can identify harmful genetic variants in genome data. Here, we advance this approach, analysing the genetic load in the threatened pink pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri). We lifted the mutation-impact scores that had been calculated for the chicken (Gallus gallus) to estimate the genetic load in six pink pigeons. Additionally, we perform in silico crossings to predict the genetic load and realized load of potential offspring. We thus identify the optimal mate pairs that are theoretically expected to produce offspring with the least inbreeding depression. We use computer simulations to show how genomics-informed conservation can reduce the genetic load whilst reducing the loss of genome-wide diversity. Genomics-informed management is likely to become instrumental in maintaining the long-term viability of zoo populations.
AB - Zoo populations of threatened species are a valuable resource for the restoration of wild populations. However, their small effective population size poses a risk to long-term viability, especially in species with high genetic load. Recent bioinformatic developments can identify harmful genetic variants in genome data. Here, we advance this approach, analysing the genetic load in the threatened pink pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri). We lifted the mutation-impact scores that had been calculated for the chicken (Gallus gallus) to estimate the genetic load in six pink pigeons. Additionally, we perform in silico crossings to predict the genetic load and realized load of potential offspring. We thus identify the optimal mate pairs that are theoretically expected to produce offspring with the least inbreeding depression. We use computer simulations to show how genomics-informed conservation can reduce the genetic load whilst reducing the loss of genome-wide diversity. Genomics-informed management is likely to become instrumental in maintaining the long-term viability of zoo populations.
KW - CADD
KW - captive populations
KW - genetic load
KW - genomics-informed conservation
KW - inbreeding depression
KW - Nesoenas mayeri
U2 - 10.1111/1755-0998.13967
DO - 10.1111/1755-0998.13967
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38727721
AN - SCOPUS:85192834810
JO - Molecular Ecology
JF - Molecular Ecology
SN - 0962-1083
ER -
ID: 392702557