10.5061/DRYAD.3H1C4
McRobie, Helen R.
Anglia Ruskin University
King, Linda M.
Anglia Ruskin University
Fanutti, Cristina
University of East Anglia
Coussons, Peter J.
Anglia Ruskin University
Montcrief, Nancy D.
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Thomas, Alison P. M.
Anglia Ruskin University
Data from: Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene sequence variation and
melanism in the gray (Sciurus carolinensis), fox (Sciurus niger) and red
(Sciurus vulgaris) squirrel
Dryad
dataset
2014
melanocortin 1 receptor
squirrel
Sciurus vulgaris
Melanism
Sciurus carolinensis
sciurus niger
sciurus niger
Molecular adaptation and selection
Sciurus vulgaris
2014-01-17T17:19:08Z
2014-01-17T17:19:08Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/esu006
17688 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Sequence variations in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene are
associated with melanism in many different species of mammals, birds, and
reptiles. The gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), found in the British
Isles, was introduced from North America in the late 19th century.
Melanism in the British gray squirrel is associated with a 24-bp deletion
in the MC1R. To investigate the origin of this mutation, we sequenced the
MC1R of 95 individuals including 44 melanic gray squirrels from both the
British Isles and North America. Melanic gray squirrels of both
populations had the same 24-bp deletion associated with melanism. Given
the significant deletion associated with melanism in the gray squirrel, we
sequenced the MC1R of both wild-type and melanic fox squirrels (Sciurus
niger) (9 individuals) and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) (39
individuals). Unlike the gray squirrel, no association between sequence
variation in the MC1R and melanism was found in these 2 species. We
conclude that the melanic gray squirrel found in the British Isles
originated from one or more introductions of melanic gray squirrels from
North America. We also conclude that variations in the MC1R are not
associated with melanism in the fox and red squirrels.
Alleles of the melanocortin 1 receptorDNA sequences of the MC1R genes of
sciurus carolinensis, niger and vulgaris
Great Britain
North America