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Mitochondrial Genome Evolution, Genetic Diversity, and Population Structure in British Water Voles (Arvicola amphibius)

Kirkland, Corey, Farré, Marta (2021) Mitochondrial Genome Evolution, Genetic Diversity, and Population Structure in British Water Voles (Arvicola amphibius). Genes, 12 (2). Article Number 138. ISSN 2073-4425. (doi:10.3390/genes12020138) (KAR id:91285)

Abstract

The European water vole (Arvicola amphibius) is a rodent within the subfamily Arvicolinae. In Britain, water voles have declined rapidly during the last century, making them a conservation priority. The relationship of Arvicola to other genera within Arvicolinae remains debated. Additionally, the impact that captive breeding programs in Britain are having on the genetic diversity of water voles is unknown. We use available mitochondrial genomes to construct the phylogeny of species within Arvicolinae, followed by sequencing the mitochondrial DNA control region of 17 individuals from a captive population of water voles in Britain to assess their genetic diversity and population structure. Our study first provides an updated phylogenetic tree of Arvicolinae using the mitochondrial genome of 31 species. Second, our results show considerable genetic diversity in the captive population of water voles, when compared with natural populations in Britain. We confirm the grouping of British water voles into two clades, with all captive individuals found in the English/Welsh clade. Moreover, captive water voles clustered closely with populations in the South East and East of England. The mitochondrial genome provides a useful marker to study the phylogenetics of this rodent clade and in addition, our study provides support for the breeding program at Wildwood Trust and provides a framework for future conservation genetics studies in this species.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.3390/genes12020138
Uncontrolled keywords: mtDNA; Arvicolinae; water vole; phylogenetics; population genetics
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Biosciences
Depositing User: Marta Farre Belmonte
Date Deposited: 03 Nov 2021 08:54 UTC
Last Modified: 14 Nov 2022 23:13 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/91285 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Kirkland, Corey.

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Farré, Marta.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9170-5767
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