Between the east and the west: genetic uniqueness of the Central-Asian wild boar (Sus scrofa) on the basis of maternal and paternal markers

Abstract

The widespread occurrence of the wild boar Sus scrofa, its controversial role in natural communities, and its close relationship with humans make this animal an important and convenient subject for studying the history and evolution of natural communities. The territory of Central Asia has been poorly represented in mammalian phylogeographic studies, namely in the case of wild boars and domestic pigs. In this study, we provide new information on wild boar genetic diversity in Central Asia in terms of mitochondrial and Y-chromosome markers and compare the set of haplotypes observed in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with those from other parts of the species’ range. The wild boar population in Central Asia is characterized by high uniqueness of mitochondrial and Y-chromosome markers and high haplotype diversity (as compared to other Asian regions). A maternal lineage marker (mitochondrial-DNA control region) clearly places this species in the Asian clade, whereas a paternal lineage markers (AMELY + USP9) positions it closer to wild boars from the western clade. Thus, the molecular genetic data supported the existence of a regionally specific subspecies of the wild boar: S. s. nigripes Blanford, 1875. Median-joining network analysis showed that Central Asia may be a center of dispersal and formation of S. scrofa genetic lineages in North Asia.