The Evolutionary Dynamics of the Lion Panthera leo Revealed by Host and Viral Population Genomics

Antunes, Agostinho; Troyer, Jennifer L.; Roelke, Melody E.; Pecon-Slattery, Jill; Packer, Craig; Winterbach, Christiaan; Winterbach, Hanlie; Hemson, Graham; Frank, Laurence; Stander, Philip; Siefert, Ludwig; Driciru, Margaret; Funston, Paul J.; Alexander, Kathy A.; Prager, Katherine C.; Mills, Gus; Wildt, David; Bush, Mitch; O'Brien, Stephen J.; Johnson, Warren E.

The mtDNA coalescence dating suggested that the East African lineage I (KEN haplotype H4) had an old origin of ,324,000 years (95% CI: 145,000-502,000). Extant East African populations (KEN/NGC/SER-I/SER-II/SER-III) also showed a slightly significant higher nDNA allelic richness and genetic diversity (Table S4) . Moreover, the FIV Ple subtype diversity was higher in East African clades (exhibiting four out of the six known viral-strains), including the most divergent FIV Ple subtype C ( Figure 4B and 4C). These genetic data from lions and FIV Ple is consistent with the older origin of extant East African lions, which is further supported by the oldest lion fossils discovered in East Africa [1] .