J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 2009. 87:829-834. doi:10.2527/jas.2008-1185
© 2009 American Society of Animal Science
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ANIMAL GENETICS

Genetic variation in domestic and wild elk (Cervus elaphus)1

M. A. Cronin*,2, L. A. Renecker{dagger} and J. C. Patton{ddagger}

* University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Palmer 99645; and {dagger} Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E2C6; and {ddagger} Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

2 Corresponding author: ffmac1{at}uaf.edu

Elk (Cervus elaphus) have recently been established as domestic livestock derived from extant wild populations and may provide insights into changes in genetic variation during domestication. We compared genetic variation at 10 microsatellite DNA loci and the mitochondrial DNA D-loop in 2 herds of domestic elk in Alaska and Canada and wild elk from 8 locations in western North America and Asia. Average individual heterozygosity was 0.55 in domestic elk and 0.47 in wild elk, average number of alleles per locus was 4.1 in domestic elk and 3.9 in wild elk, and 4 mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were observed in domestic elk and 3 in wild elk. Levels of genetic variation were not significantly different among the domestic elk and wild elk we analyzed. Our results are consistent with other studies showing that genetic variation can be maintained in domestic and wild populations of elk and other deer with appropriate management.

Key Words: Cervus elaphus • domestic elk • genetic variation • microsatellite deoxyribonucleic acid • mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid






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