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28 July 2020 Genetic Variation in Y-Chromosome Genes of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan
Kazuaki Tanaka, Asuka Hoshi, Rai Nojima, Kaho Suzuki, Harutaka Takiguchi, Seiki Takatsuki, Tatsuya Takizawa, Eiji Hosoi, Hidetoshi B. Tamate, Maki Hayashida, Tomoko Anezaki, Yuko Fukue, Masato Minami
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan are classified into southern and northern groups. However, previous studies primarily relied on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The paternally inherited Y-chromosome is useful for analyzing the contribution of males to the population genetic history of sika deer. In total, approximately 16 kb of partial sequences of four Y-chromosomal genes, Y-linked, sex-determining region Y, DEAD-box helicase 3 Y-linked, and Zinc finger protein Y-linked, were sequenced to investigate intraspecific variation. As a result, we identified nine intronic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 478 sika deer samples collected over the entire Japanese archipelago from Hokkaido to Kyushu. SNP genotyping revealed 10 distinct haplotypes (SYH1–SYH10). The most common haplotype (SYH1) was present in all populations and was the most abundant haplotype, identified in 80.3% of the sampled individuals. The remaining haplotypes were unique to a single locality. SYH1 was also central to all other haplotypes that diverged by a SNP, resulting in this haplotype being the core of a star-like cluster topography. We found that contrary to mtDNA patterns, there was no clear differentiation of Y-chromosome markers between the southern and the northern populations. Due to the female philopatry of sika deer, mtDNA may provide a highly structured differentiation of populations. On the other hand, the male-biased gene flow may provide a reduced differentiation of populations. Our findings revealed that the genetic structure of the Japanese sika deer is more complex than previously thought based on mtDNA-based phylogeographic studies.

© 2020 Zoological Society of Japan
Kazuaki Tanaka, Asuka Hoshi, Rai Nojima, Kaho Suzuki, Harutaka Takiguchi, Seiki Takatsuki, Tatsuya Takizawa, Eiji Hosoi, Hidetoshi B. Tamate, Maki Hayashida, Tomoko Anezaki, Yuko Fukue, and Masato Minami "Genetic Variation in Y-Chromosome Genes of Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan," Zoological Science 37(5), 411-416, (28 July 2020). https://doi.org/10.2108/zs200043
Received: 26 March 2020; Accepted: 21 May 2020; Published: 28 July 2020
KEYWORDS
Cervus nippon
genetic structure
male-based phylogeographic study
PHYLOGEOGRAPHY
sika deer
Y-chromosome genetic variation
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