Journal Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915
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Item Ancient mitochondrial genomes unveil the origins and evolutionary history of New Zealand's enigmatic takahē and moho(John Wiley and Sons, 2024-02) Verry AJF; Mas-Carrió E; Gibb GC; Dutoit L; Robertson BC; Waters JM; Rawlence NJ; Gillespie RMany avian species endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand were driven to extinction or reduced to relict populations following successive waves of human arrival, due to hunting, habitat destruction and the introduction of mammalian predators. Among the affected species were the large flightless South Island takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) and the moho (North Island takahē; P. mantelli), with the latter rendered extinct and the former reduced to a single relictual population. Little is known about the evolutionary history of these species prior to their decline and/or extinction. Here we sequenced mitochondrial genomes from takahē and moho subfossils (12 takahē and 4 moho) and retrieved comparable sequence data from takahē museum skins (n = 5) and contemporary individuals (n = 17) to examine the phylogeny and recent evolutionary history of these species. Our analyses suggest that prehistoric takahē populations lacked deep phylogeographic structure, in contrast to moho, which exhibited significant spatial genetic structure, albeit based on limited sample sizes (n = 4). Temporal genetic comparisons show that takahē have lost much of their mitochondrial genetic diversity, likely due to a sudden demographic decline soon after human arrival (~750 years ago). Time-calibrated phylogenetic analyses strongly support a sister species relationship between takahē and moho, suggesting these flightless taxa diverged around 1.5 million years ago, following a single colonisation of New Zealand by a flighted Porphyrio ancestor approximately 4 million years ago. This study highlights the utility of palaeogenetic approaches for informing the conservation and systematic understanding of endangered species whose ranges have been severely restricted by anthropogenic impacts.Item Historical translocations by Māori may explain the distribution and genetic structure of a threatened surf clam in Aotearoa (New Zealand)(Springer Nature Ltd, 2018-11-22) Ross PM; Knox MA; Smith S; Smith H; Williams J; Hogg IDThe population genetic structure of toheroa (Paphies ventricosa), an Aotearoa (New Zealand) endemic surf clam, was assessed to determine levels of inter-population connectivity and test hypotheses regarding life history, habitat distribution and connectivity in coastal vs. estuarine taxa. Ninety-eight toheroa from populations across the length of New Zealand were sequenced for the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene with analyses suggesting a population genetic structure unique among New Zealand marine invertebrates. Toheroa genetic diversity was high in Te Ika-a Māui (the North Island of New Zealand) but completely lacking in the south of Te Waipounamu (the South Island), an indication of recent isolation. Changes in habitat availability, long distance dispersal events or translocation of toheroa to southern New Zealand by Māori could explain the observed geographic distribution of toheroa and their genetic diversity. Given that early-Māori and their ancestors, were adept at food cultivation and relocation, the toheroa translocation hypothesis is plausible and may explain the disjointed modern distribution of this species. Translocation would also explain the limited success in restoring what may in some cases be ecologically isolated populations located outside their natural distributions and preferred nichesItem Recurrent horizontal transfer identifies mitochondrial positive selection in a transmissible cancer.(Springer Nature Limited, 2020-06-16) Strakova A; Nicholls TJ; Baez-Ortega A; Ní Leathlobhair M; Sampson AT; Hughes K; Bolton IAG; Gori K; Wang J; Airikkala-Otter I; Allen JL; Allum KM; Arnold CL; Bansse-Issa L; Bhutia TN; Bisson JL; Blank K; Briceño C; Castillo Domracheva A; Corrigan AM; Cran HR; Crawford JT; Cutter SM; Davis E; de Castro KF; De Nardi AB; de Vos AP; Delgadillo Keenan L; Donelan EM; Espinoza Huerta AR; Faramade IA; Fazil M; Fotopoulou E; Fruean SN; Gallardo-Arrieta F; Glebova O; Gouletsou PG; Häfelin Manrique RF; Henriques JJGP; Horta RS; Ignatenko N; Kane Y; King C; Koenig D; Krupa A; Kruzeniski SJ; Lanza-Perea M; Lazyan M; Lopez Quintana AM; Losfelt T; Marino G; Martínez Castañeda S; Martínez-López MF; Masuruli BM; Meyer M; Migneco EJ; Nakanwagi B; Neal KB; Neunzig W; Nixon SJ; Ortega-Pacheco A; Pedraza-Ordoñez F; Peleteiro MC; Polak K; Pye RJ; Ramirez-Ante JC; Reece JF; Rojas Gutierrez J; Sadia H; Schmeling SK; Shamanova O; Sherlock AG; Steenland-Smit AE; Svitich A; Tapia Martínez LJ; Thoya Ngoka I; Torres CG; Tudor EM; van der Wel MG; Vițălaru BA; Vural SA; Walkinton O; Wehrle-Martinez AS; Widdowson SAE; Zvarich I; Chinnery PF; Falkenberg M; Gustafsson CM; Murchison EPAutonomous replication and segregation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) creates the potential for evolutionary conflict driven by emergence of haplotypes under positive selection for 'selfish' traits, such as replicative advantage. However, few cases of this phenomenon arising within natural populations have been described. Here, we survey the frequency of mtDNA horizontal transfer within the canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT), a contagious cancer clone that occasionally acquires mtDNA from its hosts. Remarkably, one canine mtDNA haplotype, A1d1a, has repeatedly and recently colonised CTVT cells, recurrently replacing incumbent CTVT haplotypes. An A1d1a control region polymorphism predicted to influence transcription is fixed in the products of an A1d1a recombination event and occurs somatically on other CTVT mtDNA backgrounds. We present a model whereby 'selfish' positive selection acting on a regulatory variant drives repeated fixation of A1d1a within CTVT cells.