Pierpaoli M, Birò Z S, Herrmann M, Hupe K, Fernandes M, Ragni B, Szemethy L, Randi E
Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica (INFS), Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
Mol Ecol. 2003 Oct;12(10):2585-98. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2003.01939.x.
The genetic integrity and evolutionary persistence of declining wildcat populations are threatened by crossbreeding with widespread free-living domestic cats. Here we use allelic variation at 12 microsatellite loci to describe genetic variation in 336 cats sampled from nine European countries. Cats were identified as European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris), Sardinian wildcats (F. s. libyca) and domestic cats (F. s. catus), according to phenotypic traits, geographical locations and independently of any genetic information. Genetic variability was significantly partitioned among taxonomic groups (FST = 0.11; RST = 0.41; P < 0.001) and sampling locations (FST = 0.07; RST = 0.06; P < 0.001), suggesting that wild and domestic cats are subdivided into distinct gene pools in Europe. Multivariate and Bayesian clustering of individual genotypes also showed evidence of distinct cat groups, congruent with current taxonomy, and suggesting geographical population structuring. Admixture analyses identified cryptic hybrids among wildcats in Portugal, Italy and Bulgaria, and evidenced instances of extensive hybridization between wild and domestic cats sampled in Hungary. Cats in Hungary include a composite assemblage of variable phenotypes and genotypes, which, as previously documented in Scotland, might originate from long lasting hybridization and introgression. A number of historical, demographic and ecological conditions can lead to extensive crossbreeding between wild and domestic cats, thus threatening the genetic integrity of wildcat populations in Europe.
数量不断减少的野猫种群的遗传完整性和进化持久性受到与广泛自由放养的家猫杂交的威胁。在此，我们利用12个微卫星位点的等位基因变异来描述从9个欧洲国家采集的336只猫的遗传变异情况。根据表型特征、地理位置且独立于任何遗传信息，将猫鉴定为欧洲野猫（Felis silvestris silvestris）、撒丁岛野猫（F. s. libyca）和家猫（F. s. catus）。遗传变异性在分类群之间（FST = 0.11；RST = 0.41；P < 0.001）和采样地点之间（FST = 0.07；RST = 0.06；P < 0.001）有显著划分，这表明野生猫和家猫在欧洲被细分为不同的基因库。个体基因型的多变量和贝叶斯聚类也显示出不同猫群的证据，与当前分类法一致，并表明存在地理种群结构。混合分析在葡萄牙、意大利和保加利亚的野猫中发现了隐性杂种，并证明了在匈牙利采样的野生猫和家猫之间存在广泛杂交的情况。匈牙利的猫包括具有可变表型和基因型的混合群体，正如之前在苏格兰记录的那样，这可能源于长期的杂交和基因渗入。许多历史、人口统计学和生态条件会导致野生猫和家猫之间广泛杂交，从而威胁到欧洲野猫种群的遗传完整性。
