[Blood group polymorphism in bison (Bison bonasus)]

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Zoology
• Conservation Biology

Context:

• The European bison (Bison bonasus) is a species recovering from near extinction.
• Understanding genetic diversity is crucial for effective conservation and breeding programs.
• Blood group systems offer valuable genetic markers for population studies.

Purpose:

• To assess the polymorphism of nine blood group systems in three distinct European bison reproductive lines.
• To compare the genetic diversity and differentiation levels of auroch lines with domestic cattle breeds.
• To investigate deviations from Hardy-Weinberg proportions in specific blood group systems.

Summary:

• Polymorphism was analyzed across nine blood group systems in Belovezhskaya, Caucasian-Belovezhskaya, and Gornaya auroch lines, with 50 out of 57 antigens detected.
• Aurochs exhibit genetic diversity comparable to domestic cattle, but cattle possess significantly higher intrapopulation diversity (mu test).
• Low genetic differentiation was observed among auroch lines, with higher similarity coefficients than seen within cattle breeds. An excess of heterozygotes was noted for the FV system, suggesting mechanisms preserving genetic diversity.

Impact:

• Provides critical genetic data for European bison conservation and management strategies.
• Highlights the importance of managing inbreeding, as seen in the Belovezhskaya line with the lowest diversity.
• Suggests that population processes may actively maintain genetic diversity in aurochs, warranting further investigation.