Abstract
Even though a considerable number of genetic markers are available for paternity analysis in birds, significant difficulties can arise in the assessment and interpretation of data. Paternity analyses using genetic markers are based on comparing similarities and dissimilarities (mismatches) between candidate fathers and their putative offspring. Complications arise when only a few mismatches are being detected, because any non-shared allele might well be caused by a mutation rather than being indicative of a true exclusion. To deal with such problems, it is essential to apply marker panels with sufficient discriminative power. Studying urban populations of Parus major, we report new combinations of microsatellite markers with extremely high sensitivity. We show that even marker panels with numerically satisfying discrimination power and exclusion probability (>0.99999999 and >0.999, respectively) do not always protect from insecurities. We also show that further maximisation of panel sensitivity by adding more markers can be helpful to resolve the majority of such ambiguous cases.
Zusammenfassung
Maximierung der Diskriminationsstärke ist wichtig für Untersuchungen von Mikrosatelliten-basierten Vaterschaftsanalysen bei Singvögeln
Auch wenn eine Vielzahl von genetischen Markern für Vaterschaftsanalysen bei Singvögeln zur Verfügung steht, so können sich doch erhebliche Schwierigkeiten bei der Beurteilung und Interpretation der Daten ergeben. Vaterschaftsanalysen mittels genetischer Marker basieren auf dem Vergleich von Ähnlichkeiten bzw. Unähnlichkeiten (sog. mismatches) zwischen vermuteten Vätern und ihren vermeintlichen Nachkommen. Komplikationen treten auf, wenn nur wenige Unähnlichkeiten bestehen, weil jedes nicht gemeinsame Allel ebenso durch eine Mutation bestimmt sein kann und nicht zwingend für einen echten Ausschluss sprechen muss. Um mit diesem Problem umzugehen, ist es unverzichtbar, Markerkombinationen mit genügend Diskriminationsstärke anzuwenden. Für eine Stadtpopulation von Kohlmeisen Parus major berichten wir über neue Kombinationen von Mikrosatellitenmarkern mit sehr hoher Sensitivität. Wir können zeigen, dass auch Markerkombinationen mit zahlenmäßig zufrieden stellender Diskriminationsstärke und Ausschlusswahrscheinlichkeit (>0.99999999 bzw. >0.999) nicht immer vor Unsicherheiten bewahren. Wir zeigen auch, dass eine weitere Maximierung der Sensitivität durch Hinzunahme von mehr Markern helfen kann, die Mehrzahl solch zweifelhafter Fälle aufzuklären.
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Communicated by M. Wink.
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Poetsch, M., Bähnisch, E., Ludescher, F. et al. Maximising the power of discrimination is important in microsatellite-based paternity analysis in songbirds. J Ornithol 153, 873–880 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-012-0813-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-012-0813-7