Genetic microstructure in two Spanish cat populations. I: Genic diversity, gene flow and selection

The genetic microstructure of two Spanish cat populations (in Barcelona and Alicante) was studied. These populations were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at the locus O. There was significant genetic heterogeneity for most of the loci studied at the colony level, especially, and the subpopulation level in Barcelona, and at the subpopulation level in Alicante, although the amount of heterogeneity was relatively small compared with that found in other mammal species. Therefore, the major part of the gene diversity found was at the level of the small population structure (colonies). This agrees quite well with high theoretical gene flow estimates. The Lewontin-Krakauer test showed, in some cases, significant F tests, which appears to indicate the presence of several selective events on some of the loci studied (diversifying and/or unifying), although some other causes, such as differential gene flow, some different historical and demographic parameters at the time of the introduction of the different alleles within the cities studied, as well as different mutation rates of the loci analyzed, could produce significant Lewontin-Krakauer test values, as well.