Conservation Genetics Of Chinese Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon)

Sika deer (Cervus nippori) is a highly endangered cervid, which presently distribut in the narrow regions of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Sichuan, Gansu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces. In order to design effective conservation strategies, we did comprehensively research on conservation genetics of Chinese sika deer by using mitochondrial DNA, microsatellite and major histocompatibility complex as genetic markers. The major results are as follows:1. The results of analyses of mitochondrial DNA control region sequence variation indicated that the parameter values of genetic diversity of Zhejiang population such as numbers of nucleotide differences (l-21bp), pairwise divergence of nucleotide (0.1-1.6 %), nucleotide diversity (Ï€ = 0.004), etc. were highest among four survival populations of Chinese sika deer. However, the parameter values of genetic diversity of Northeast China population such as numbers of nucleotide differences, pairwise divergence of nucleotide, nucleotide diversity, etc. were lower than that of Zhejiang population. The parameter values of genetic diversity of Jiangxi population were lower than that of Northeast China population. The parameter values of genetic diversity of Sichuan population were lowest among four survival populations of Chinese sika deer.2. We selected 16 pairs of primers that showed polymorphism and could steadily amplified all of samples of sika deer from 22 pairs of primers cattle, sheep and wait-tailed deer. The results of analyses using 16 pairs of primers indicated that the expected heterozygosity of Zhejiang population (HE - 0.589) were highest, that was the genetic diversity of Zhejiang population were most abundance among four survival populations. However, the expected heterozygosity of Northeast China and Jiangxi populations were lower than that of Zhejiang population. The expected heterozygosity of Sichuan population was lowest among four survival populations. In addition, six private allele of Northeast China population and five private allele of Zhejiang population were found.3. We successfully amplified the regions of exon2 and exon3 of MHC class I gene by using the published and redesigned primers and identified A, B and C locus. Moreover, we found and named respectively 62, 36 and 39 new alleles in the regions of exon2 of A, B and C locus of MHC class I gene, and 25,18 and 28 new alleles in the regions of exon3 of A, B and C locus of MHC class I gene. The Zhejiang population held mostnew alleles (15 and 9) in the regions of exon2 and exonS of B locus of MHC class I gene among four survival populations. However, the numbers of new allele that Northeast China population held were lower than the numbers of new allele that Zhejiang population held. The numbers of new allele that Sichuan population held lay on the third position among four survival populations. The numbers of new allele that Jiangxi population held were lowest among four survival populations. The Northeast China population held most new alleles (24, 19; 12, 14) in the regions of exon2 and exonS of A and C locus of MHC class I gene among four survival populations. The numbers of new allele that Zhejiang population held were lower than the numbers of new allele that Northeast China population held. The numbers of new allele that Sichuan population held lay on the third position among four survival populations. The numbers of new allele that Jiangxi population held were lowest among four survival populations.4. We amplified successfully the regions of exon2 of DRB locus of MHC class II gene using the published primers, and found and named 29 new alleles. The Zhejiang population held the most new alleles (17) among four survival populations. The numbers of new allele that Northeast China population held were lower than the numbers of new allele that Zhejiang population held. The numbers of new allele that Sichuan population held lay on the third position among four survival populations. The numbers of new allele that Jiangxi population held were lowest among four survival populations.5. We...