Biology Faculty, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, MN
The taxonomic identity of the historical western Gray wolf (Canis lupus) and the more recent eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) remains controversial. Based on limited genetic data (la28 haplotype) shared by western coyotes (Canis latrans) and western wolves, it has been suggested that western wolves and western coyotes may have been the origin of the eastern wolf. However, these two species do not hybridize in the wild. Scientists at our partnering institution, the Wildlife Science Center (WSC), and Dr. David Mech have collaborated to hybridize the western wolf with the western coyote in captivity to elucidate ancestry of these two species and the genetics and phenotype of the hybrids. The mating produced a litter of six pups (F1 woyotes) which are currently the focus of this study. We have started characterizing the hybrids genetically by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, utilizing 21 ancestry informative SNPs and, phenotypically by isolating the hybrids’ distal gut microbiota. Our aim is to expand the study of the hybrids’ phenotype at the molecular level, by investigating global gene expression in these hybrids, and comparing their profiles to the control western coyote dam’s and western wolf sires’. We have hypothesized that, if indeed hybridization of these species (western coyote x western wolf cross) gave rise to a new subspecies (eastern wolf), these hybrids would display hybrid vigor and/or intermediate phenotypes. More specifically, the “woyotes” may have unique gene expression profiles/signatures that may represent a transcriptome more similar to the eastern wolf’s than to either of the parents’.
Materials are under development.
Materials are under development.
