Department of Molecular Ecology, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Former, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Woodvale, Australia.
PLoS One. 2024 Aug 13;19(8):e0308724. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308724. eCollection 2024.
Feralization is the process of domesticated animals returning to the wild and it is considered the counterpart of domestication. Molecular genetic changes are well documented in domesticated organisms but understudied in feral populations. In this study, the genetic differentiation between domestic and feral cats was inferred by analysing whole-genome sequencing data of two geographically distant feral cat island populations, Dirk Hartog Island (Australia) and Kaho'olawe (Hawaii) as well as domestic cats and European wildcats. The study investigated population structure, genetic differentiation, genetic diversity, highly differentiated genes, and recombination rates. Genetic structure analyses linked both feral cat populations to North American domestic and European cat populations. Recombination rates in feral cats were lower than in domestic cats but higher than in wildcats. For Australian and Hawaiian feral cats, 105 and 94 highly differentiated genes compared to domestic cats respectively, were identified. Annotated genes had similar functions, with almost 30% of the divergent genes related to nervous system development in both feral groups. Twenty mutually highly differentiated genes were found in both feral populations. Evolution of highly differentiated genes was likely driven by specific demographic histories, the relaxation of the selective pressures associated with domestication, and adaptation to novel environments to a minor extent. Random drift was the prevailing force driving highly divergent regions, with relaxed selection in feral populations also playing a significant role in differentiation from domestic cats. The study demonstrates that feralization is an independent process that brings feral cats on a unique evolutionary trajectory.
野化是指家养动物返回野外的过程，它被认为是驯化的对应过程。家养生物的分子遗传变化得到了很好的记录，但在野化种群中的研究却很少。在这项研究中，通过分析两个地理位置遥远的野化猫岛屿种群（澳大利亚的德克·哈托格岛和夏威夷的卡霍奥拉韦岛）以及家猫和欧洲野猫的全基因组测序数据，推断了家猫和野化猫之间的遗传分化。该研究调查了种群结构、遗传分化、遗传多样性、高度分化的基因和重组率。遗传结构分析将两个野化猫种群与北美家猫和欧洲野猫种群联系起来。野化猫的重组率低于家猫，但高于野猫。与家猫相比，澳大利亚和夏威夷的野化猫分别有 105 个和 94 个高度分化的基因。注释基因具有相似的功能，在两个野化群体中，近 30%的分化基因与神经系统发育有关。在两个野化种群中都发现了 20 个高度分化的基因。高度分化基因的进化可能是由特定的种群历史、与驯化相关的选择压力的放松以及对新环境的适应所驱动的，但程度较小。随机漂变是驱动高度分化区域的主要力量，野化种群中的选择放松也在家猫分化中发挥了重要作用。该研究表明，野化是一个独立的过程，使野化猫走上了独特的进化轨迹。
