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Genetic population structure of Gyrodactylus thymalli (Monogenea) in a large Norwegian river system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2015

RUBEN ALEXANDER PETTERSEN*
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
TOR ATLE MO
Affiliation:
Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750 Sentrum, 0106 Oslo, Norway
HAAKON HANSEN
Affiliation:
Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750 Sentrum, 0106 Oslo, Norway
LEIF ASBJØRN VØLLESTAD
Affiliation:
Department of Biosciences, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
*
* Corresponding author: R. A. Pettersen, Department of Biosciences, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. E-mail: rubenap@ibv.uio.no

Summary

The extent of geographic genetic variation is the result of several processes such as mutation, gene flow, selection and drift. Processes that structure the populations of parasite species are often directly linked to the processes that influence the host. Here, we investigate the genetic population structure of the ectoparasite Gyrodactylus thymalli Žitňan, 1960 (Monogenea) collected from grayling (Thymallus thymallus L.) throughout the river Glomma, the largest watercourse in Norway. Parts of the mitochondrial dehydrogenase subunit 5 (NADH 5) and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) genes from 309 G. thymalli were analysed to study the genetic variation and investigated the geographical distribution of parasite haplotypes. Three main clusters of haplotypes dominated the three distinct geographic parts of the river system; one cluster dominated in the western main stem of the river, one in the eastern and one in the lower part. There was a positive correlation between pairwise genetic distance and hydrographic distance. The results indicate restricted gene flow between sub-populations of G. thymalli, most likely due to barriers that limit upstream migration of infected grayling. More than 80% of the populations had private haplotypes, also indicating long-time isolation of sub-populations. According to a molecular clock calibration, much of the haplotype diversity of G. thymalli in the river Glomma has developed after the last glaciation.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 
Figure 0

Fig. 1. The Glomma river system, with the locations where Gyrodactylus thymalli was sampled (the population codes refer to the names in Table 1). The colour codes refer to the concatenated mtDNA genes NADH5(G) and COI(C) haplotypes (see online Supplementary Table 2 and 3). P.H* indicates private haplotypes.

Figure 1

Table 1. The number of sampled grayling (Nf) and number of infected fish with Gyrodactylus thymalli (Ni+G.t.). Locality name and code for each population, its location within the river system, and distance from the outlet to the sea (km) is given (see Fig. 1)

Figure 2

Fig. 2. Plot of the principal coordinate axis 1 (58%) and 2 (28%) of pairwise population genetic distances of Gyrodactylus thymalli populations within the Glomma river system. The analysis is based on the concatenated mtDNA genes NADH5 and COI. The population codes as in Table 1.

Figure 3

Table 2. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) is based on concatenated mtDNA genes NADH5 and COI of Gyrodactylus thymalli. Among regions; are tested under random permutation of individuals across regions (region 1: ELV, HOL, REN, AAS, OSE, KOP, STO, ALV, ROR, region 2: EID, MJO, HUN, TRE, VIN, OTT, VAA, DOV, region 3: SAR, NIT, KON, the population codes refer to the names in Table 1). Among populations; are tested under random permutation of individuals across populations. Within population; are tested under random permutation of individuals across populations without regard to either of their original populations

Figure 4

Fig. 3. Correlation between hydrographic distance (waterway distance, km) and Gyrodactylus thymalli population pairs genetic distances (φST/1 − φST) within the Glomma river system (Mantel test, r = 0·28, P = 0·01). The analysis is based on the concatenated mtDNA genes NADH5 and COI. The outliers from the Røros population down to the right. A re-analysis, excluding the Røros population, gave a stronger correlation (r = 0·48, P = 0·01).

Figure 5

Fig. 4. Median-joining network is based on the concatenated mtDNA genes NADH5(G) and COI(C) haplotypes of Gyrodactylus thymalli, with haplotypes colour coded as in Fig. 1 (For the private haplotypes codes see online Supplementary Tables 2 and 3). The cross-lines indicate mutation steps more than one and the size of the circles represent haplotype frequency. The nodes mv1-11 is hypothetical unsampled haplotypes.

Supplementary material: File

Pettersen supplementary material

Tables S1-S3

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