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Comparison of beak and feather disease virus prevalence and immunity-associated genetic diversity over time in an island population of red-crowned parakeets

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Abstract

Pathogen outbreaks in the wild can contribute to a population’s extinction risk. Concern over the effects of pathogen outbreaks in wildlife is amplified in small, threatened populations, where degradation of genetic diversity may hinder natural selection for enhanced immunocompetence. Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) was detected for the first time in an island population of red-crowned parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) in 2008 on Little Barrier Island (Hauturu-o-Toi) of New Zealand. By 2013, the prevalence of the viral infection had significantly decreased within the population. We tested whether the population of red-crowned parakeets showed a selective response to BFDV, using neutral microsatellite and two immunity-associated genetic markers, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). We found evidence for selection at viral-associated TLR3; however, the ability of TLR3 to elicit an immune response in the presence of BFDV warrants confirmation. Alternatively, because red-crowned parakeet populations are prone to fluctuations in size, the decrease in BFDV prevalence over time may be attributed to the Little Barrier Island population dropping below the density threshold for viral maintenance. Our results highlight that natural processes such as adaptation for enhanced immunocompetence and/or density fluctuations are efficient mechanisms for reducing pathogen prevalence in a threatened, isolated population.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Gregory Gimenez, Les McNoe, and Monika Zavodna at Otago Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility for their valuable NGS advice. Capture and sampling of red-crowned parakeets was conducted under approved permits by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (permits AK-15300-RES, AK-20666-FAU, AK-22857-FAU). This research was supported by an Allan Wilson Centre grant to IGJ and University of Otago scholarship to GJK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    Gabrielle J. Knafler, Catherine E. Grueber, Bruce C. Robertson & Ian G. Jamieson

  2. Ecology and Conservation Group, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 102-904, Auckland, New Zealand

    Luis Ortiz-Catedral

  3. College of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Bethany Jackson

  4. Centre for Integrative Ecology, Biomolecular Interaction Centre and School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand

    Arvind Varsani

  5. Structural Biology Research Unit, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa

    Arvind Varsani

  6. Department of Plant Pathology and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Arvind Varsani

  7. Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Catherine E. Grueber

  8. San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, USA

    Catherine E. Grueber

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  1. Gabrielle J. Knafler
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  2. Luis Ortiz-Catedral
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  3. Bethany Jackson
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  5. Catherine E. Grueber
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  7. Ian G. Jamieson
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Correspondence to Gabrielle J. Knafler.

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I. G. Jamieson: Deceased February 2, 2015.

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Knafler, G.J., Ortiz-Catedral, L., Jackson, B. et al. Comparison of beak and feather disease virus prevalence and immunity-associated genetic diversity over time in an island population of red-crowned parakeets. Arch Virol 161, 811–820 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-015-2717-3

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