Prelude to a panzootic: Gene flow and immunogenetic variation in northern little brown myotis vulnerable to bat white-nose syndrome
Christina M. Davy,
Michael E. Donaldson,
Yessica Rico,
Cori L. Lausen,
Kathleen Dogantzis,
Kyle Ritchie,
Craig K.R. Willis,
Douglas W. Burles,
Thomas S. Jung,
Scott McBurney,
Allysia Park,
Donald F. McAlpine,
Karen J. Vanderwolf,
Christopher J. Kyle
Affiliations
Christina M. Davy
Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, Canada
Michael E. Donaldson
Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada; Forensic Science Department, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
Yessica Rico
Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
Cori L. Lausen
Kathleen Dogantzis
Forensic Science Department, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
Kyle Ritchie
Forensic Science Department, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
Craig K.R. Willis
Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 2E9, Canada
Douglas W. Burles
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve/Haida Heritage Site, P.O. Box 37, Queen Charlotte City, BC V0T 1S0, Canada
Thomas S. Jung
Yukon Department of Environment, P.O. Box 2703, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6, Canada
Scott McBurney
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3, Canada
Allysia Park
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3, Canada
Donald F. McAlpine
New Brunswick Museum, 277 Douglas Avenue, Saint John, NB E2K 1E5, Canada
Karen J. Vanderwolf
New Brunswick Museum, 277 Douglas Avenue, Saint John, NB E2K 1E5, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Federation, 350 Promenade Michael Cowpland Drive, Kanata, ON K2M 2G4, Canada
Christopher J. Kyle
Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada; Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada; Forensic Science Department, Trent University, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
The fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome (WNS) recently leaped from eastern North America to the Pacific Coast. The pathogen’s spread is associated with the genetic population structure of a host (Myotis lucifugus). To understand the fine-scale neutral and immunogenetic variation among northern populations of M. lucifugus, we sampled 1142 individuals across the species’ northern range. We used genotypes at 11 microsatellite loci to reveal the genetic structure of, and directional gene flow among, populations to predict the likely future spread of the pathogen in the northwest and to estimate effective population size (Ne). We also pyrosequenced the DRB1-like exon 2 of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in 160 individuals to explore immunogenetic selection by WNS. We identified three major neutral genetic clusters: Eastern, Montane Cordillera (and adjacent sampling areas), and Haida Gwaii, with admixture at intermediate areas and significant substructure west of the prairies. Estimates of Ne were unexpectedly low (289–16 000). Haida Gwaii may provide temporary refuge from WNS, but the western mountain ranges are not barriers to its dispersal in M. lucifugus and are unlikely to slow its spread. Our major histocompatibility complex (MHC) data suggest potential selection by WNS on the MHC, but gene duplication limited the immunogenetic analyses.
