Evaluation of genetic variability in Iranian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) and free-ranging dog (C. familliaris) populations using microsatellite markers

Genetic diversity of Iranian wolf populations and domestic/free-ranging dogs were examined using microsatellite markers. The Iranian wolf and domestic/free-ranging dog were sampled in 2010 and 28 wolves and 28 dogs were genotyped with 15 microsatellite loci. Parameters of variability such as allelic richness (Rs), expected heterozigosity (HE) and observed heterozigosity (HO) showed that genetic diversity in Iranian wolves is comparable in magnitude to that of other wild populations of wolf. The average of HE and Rs were 0.85, 11 and 0.83, 9.35 in wolves and dogs respectively. We identified 159 and 141 alleles in autosomal microsatellites in wolf and dog samples respectively. High genetic diversity may result from immigration of outside individuals and habitat diversity in Iran. The average inbreeding coefficient was - 0.148 and -0.122 in wolf and dog samples. The low and negative FIS values revealed no inbreeding problem in Iranian wolf and dog populations. We used Nei and Weir-cockerham F-statistics for investigating level of differentiation between wolves and dogs. Average values of FST, RST and Fit were 0.05, 0.36 and -0.084 reflecting relatively high genetic differentiation between two species. The neighbor joining tree between wolf and dog individuals based on ADS genetic distance showed wolves and dogs were split into two distinct clusters. Even though our sample did not cover the entire range of the wolf in Iran, our results emphasize the high genetic diversity of this species. Also, the results confirm that gene flow between wolves and domestic dogs is low and they show discrete genetic structure, although the two species are in contact around rural areas.