Journal article
Genetic potential for disease resistance in critically endangered amphibians decimated by chytridiomycosis
TA Kosch, CNS Silva, LA Brannelly, AA Roberts, Q Lau, G Marantelli, L Berger, LF Skerratt
ANIMAL CONSERVATION | WILEY | Published : 2019
DOI: 10.1111/acv.12459
Abstract
Hundreds of amphibian species have declined worldwide after the emergence of the amphibian fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Despite captive breeding efforts, it is unlikely that wild populations for many species will be reestablished unless Bd resistance increases. We performed a Bd-challenge study in the functionally extinct southern corroboree frog Pseudophryne corroboree to investigate differences in Bd susceptibility among individuals and populations, identify genetic [major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I] and genome-wide variants associated with Bd resistance, and measure genetic diversity and population genetic structure. We found three MHC variants and on..
View full abstractGrants
Awarded by Australian Research Council
Awarded by Queensland Information Technology and Innovation Accelerate Fellowship Grant
Funding Acknowledgements
We are grateful to C. Storlie, R. Jones, D. McKnight, and the JCU eResearch team for providing R scripting and statistical assistance, R. Webb, J. Hawkes, K. Fossen and C.D. Jong for assistance with animal husbandry, S. Bell for disease testing assistance, D. Hunter for conservation agency support, M. McFadden, P. Harlow, and R. Hobbs for animal husbandry advice, and K. Zenger, J. Eimes and A. Husby for discussion of analysis approaches. The research was supported by the Australian Research Council grants (LP110200240; FT100100375), NSW-OEH, Taronga Zoo, experiment. com grant ('Can we stop amphibian extinction by increasing immunity to the frog chytrid fungus'), and Queensland Information Technology and Innovation Accelerate Fellowship Grant (14-218).