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opencc-by-4.0Dec 2019View details →

Fig. 4 in Detection and quantification of house mouse Eimeria at the species level - Challenges and solutions for the assessment of coccidia in wildlife

Fig. 4. qPCR detection of intracellular stages of Eimeria in cecum and ileum from Mus musculus. -Delta Ct value (CtEimeria - CtMouse) from each tissue for 164 mice are plotted on the graph. The dotted line indicate the threshold of −5, values above the line are considered positive for the corresponding tissue. Circles represent negative samples, triangles indicate samples with Eimeria species identification and colors correspond to the Eimeria species identified in those samples. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2019View details →

Fig. 1 in Detection and quantification of house mouse Eimeria at the species level - Challenges and solutions for the assessment of coccidia in wildlife

Fig. 1. Geographical localization of house mice (Mus musculus) collected for this study and comparison of diagnostic methods for Eimeria. A) Localization from the 378 mice included in the present study, colors indicate the Eimeria species identified for each. B) Venn diagram showing the overlap between detection methods and successful genotyping identification of the isolates. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2019View details →

Fig. 3 in Detection and quantification of house mouse Eimeria at the species level - Challenges and solutions for the assessment of coccidia in wildlife

Fig. 3. Morphological and morphometrical characteristics of Eimeria oocyst isolated from Mus musculus. a) Photomicrographs at 1000x amplification of Eimeria oocyst from the three species isolated from Mus musculus (red = E. falciformis; green = E. ferrisi and yellow = E. vermiformis). Length/Width ratio from b) oocyst and c) sporocysts corresponding to each species (E. falciformis n = 31; E. ferrisi n = 127 and E. vermiformis n = 35). Mean ± 95% Confidence Interval is plotted. * Represent significant difference (Tukey HSD, p <0.05). (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

opencc-by-4.0Nov 2020View details →

Figure 1. A in Evolutionary History of the Subgenus Mus in Eurasia with Special Emphasis on the House Mouse Mus musculus

Figure 1. A sketch of the evolutionary patterns of lineage differentiation among species in the genus Mus based on molecular phylogenetic analysis of nuclear gene sequences (Suzuki et al., 2004; Shimada et al., 2010). The tree shows the four subgenera of the genus Mus and the four species groups (SGs) of the subgenus Mus: M. musculus, M. booduga, M. lepidoides, and M. caroli (previously termed as M. cervicolor SG), representing four geographic regions of the Palaearctic region, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, and Southeast Asia, respectively. The taxon previously regarded as "M. cervicolor" in Thailand is here referred to as "M. sp.", due to uncertainty regarding the taxonomic status of the sampled specimens (see main text). The estimated divergence times for the subgenera and species groups are approximately 5 and 2.5 million years ago, respectively (Shimada et al., 2010). Specific habitat transitions from grasslands to forests and arid areas are marked for the species lineages of M. cookii and M. lepidoides. Predicted dispersal events between geographic regions are indicated with dotted arrows.

opencc-by-4.0Nov 2020View details →

Figures 2–4 in Evolutionary History of the Subgenus Mus in Eurasia with Special Emphasis on the House Mouse Mus musculus

Figures 2–4. Assessment of population genetic structure using concatenated sequences (4302 bp) of seven nuclear genes. (2) Positions of the analysed regions (open triangles) in seven genes on murine chromosome 8 (Nunome et al., 2010; Kodama et al., 2013). (3) Neighbour- Net network based on concatenated sequences from 98 Mus musculus, showing haplogroups representing the subspecies groups Mus musculus domesticus (DOM), Mus musculus castaneus (CAS), and Mus musculus musculus (MUS) as well as recombinant haplotypes (Re) (Kodama et al., 2013). In the network, the level of diversity of CAS is markedly higher than those of DOM and MUS, yielding five distinct phylogroups A–E. Scale bar indicates genetic divergence. (4) Approximate geographic ranges of the five subclusters of CAS. Localities where samples used in this analysis were collected are marked with open and filled circles, representing the mitochondrial haplogroup CAS-1 and all other types, respectively (Kodama et al., 2013). The phylogroups A–E of CAS showed rough geographical distributions and one of them, phylogroup D, comprised the haplotypes recovered from a large geographical area of Southeast Asia, south China, and Indonesia and can be characterized as the lineage dispersed with prehistoric human movement (arrow; Kodama et al., 2015). Note that subcluster D (arrow in Fig. 3) shows a broad distribution range in Southeast Asia and the southern part of East Asia. In the Neighbor-Net network, this subcluster exhibits limited divergence among haplotypes.

opencc-zeroJan 2024View details →

Data from: Contrasting patterns of female house mouse spatial organisation among outbreaking and stable populations

The size and distribution of home ranges reflects how individuals within a population use, defend, and share space and resources, and may thus be an important predictor of population-level dynamics. In eruptive species like the house mouse in Australian grain growing regions, contrasting space use between stable and outbreaking populations allows us to test predictions regarding social or life history strategies that may contribute to an outbreak. In this study we use spatially explicit capture-recapture models to compare home range overlap (as a proxy for territoriality) in female mice from populations showing different outbreak trajectories. We found that female space use in spring varied between outbreaking and stable populations. Our analysis indicated greater home range overlap in populations with stable trajectories compared to those that would later experience an outbreak, suggesting females in these stable populations may have had greater potential for cooperative group formation as indicated by shared space use. We discuss the results with respect to intrinsic factors, such as kin structure, with potential implications for better predicting mouse outbreaks at a microgeographic scale.

opencc-zeroJan 2020View details →

Tracking the near Eastern origins and European dispersal of the Western house mouse

The house mouse (Mus musculus) represents the extreme of globalization of invasive mammals. However, the timing and basis of its origin and early phases of dispersal remain poorly documented. To track its synanthropisation and subsequent invasive spread during the develoment of complex human societies, we analyzed 829 Mus specimens from 43 archaeological contexts in Southwestern Asia and Southeastern Europe, between 40,000 and 3,000 cal. BP, combining geometric morphometrics numerical taxonomy, ancient mitochondrial DNA and direct radiocarbon dating. We found that large late hunter-gatherer sedentary settlements in the Levant, c. 14,500 cal. BP, promoted the commensal behaviour of the house mouse, which probably led the commensal pathway to cat domestication. House mouse invasive spread was then fostered through the emergence of agriculture throughout the Near East 12,000 years ago. Stowaway transport of house mice to Cyprus can be inferred as early as 10,800 years ago. However, the house mouse invasion of Europe did not happen until the development of proto urbanism and exchange networks — 6,500 years ago in Eastern Europe and 4000 years ago in Southern Europe — which in turn may have driven the first human mediated dispersal of cats in Europe.

opencc-zeroMar 2023View details →

Data from: House mouse Slx and Sly CNV and expression data

A remarkable gene copy number (CN) arms race system has recently been described in laboratory mice, where Slx;Slxl1 and Sly genes compete over transmission by altering fertilisation success of X and Y chromosome-bearing sperm, respectively. Here, we focus on this system in nature, where natural selection can counter CN/gene product escalation. Our model is house mouse subspecies hybridising in Europe. In some regions, Y chromosomes of the Eastern subspecies have introgressed onto Western genomic backgrounds, accompanied by sex ratio distortion in favour of males, consistent with the inbred-lines suggested mechanism: overabundance of SLY protein expressed by invading Y chromosomes. We take Slx as representative of the X side of this arms race and measure Slx|Sly CN and expression across an 'Invasion' transect where Ys introgress and a 'Control' transect with negligible introgression. Since we found similar Slx|Sly ratios in both transects, SLY overabundance is unlikely to explain the introgression. However, Slx CN is relatively low in the introgression area, suggesting Slx is less able to combat Sly effects here. Further, deterministic changes in Slx;Sly expression proportions versus CN proportions suggest standing variation for trans regulation of Slx|Sly is being co-opted in nature where their arms race reduces population fitness.

publicMar 2023View details →

Data from: House mouse Slx and Sly CNV and expression data

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publicJan 2024View details →

Data from: Contrasting patterns of female house mouse spatial organisation among outbreaking and stable populations

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publicAug 2023View details →

Tracking the near Eastern origins and European dispersal of the Western house mouse

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opencc-zeroJun 2020View details →

Data from: Sperm quality, aggressiveness and generation turnover can facilitate unidirectional Y chromosome introgression across the European house mouse hybrid zone

The widespread and locally massive introgression of Y chromosomes of the eastern house mouse (Mus musculus musculus) into the range of the western subspecies (M. m. domesticus) in Central Europe calls for an explanation of its underlying mechanisms. Given the paternal inheritance pattern, obvious candidates for traits mediating the introgression are characters associated with sperm quantity and quality. We can also expect traits such as size, aggression, or the length of generation cycles to facilitate the spread. We have created two consomic strains carrying the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome of the opposite subspecies, allowing us to study introgression in both directions, something impossible in nature due to the unidirectionality of introgression. We analysed several traits potentially related to male fitness. Transmission of the domesticus Y onto the musculus background had negative effects on all studied traits. Likewise , domesticus males possessing the musculus Y had, on average, smaller body and testes and lower sperm count than the parental strain. However, the same consomic males tended to produce less dissociated sperm heads, to win more dyadic encounters, and to have shorter generation cycles than pure domesticus males. These data suggest the domesticus Y is disadvantageous on the musculus background while introgression in the opposite direction can confer a recognizable, though not always significant, selective advantage. Our results are thus congruent with the unidirectional musculus→domesticus Y chromosome introgression in Central Europe. In addition to some previous studies, they show this to be a multifaceted phenomenon demanding a multidisciplinary approach.

opencc-zeroAug 2020View details →

House mouse Mus musculus dispersal in East Eurasia inferred from 98 newly determined complete mitochondrial genome sequences

<div> The Eurasianhouse mouse Mus musculusis useful for tracing prehistorical human movement related to the spread of farming. We determined whole mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences (ca. 16,000 bp) of 98 wild-derived individuals of two subspecies, M. m. musculus (MUS) and M. m. castaneus (CAS). We revealed directional dispersals reaching as far asthe Japanese Archipelagofrom their homelands. Our phylogenetic analysis indicated that the eastward movement of MUS was characterised by five step-wise regional extension events: 1) broad spatial expansion into eastern Europe and the western part of western China, 2) dispersal to the eastern part of western China, 3) dispersal tonorthern China, 4) dispersal to the Korean Peninsula and 5) colonisation and expansion in the Japanese Archipelago. These events were estimated to have occurred during the last 2,000–18,000 years. The dispersal of CAS was characterised by three events: initial divergences(ca. 7,000–9,000 years ago) of haplogroups in northern most China and the eastern coast of India, followed by two population expansion events that likely originated from the Yangtze River basinto broad areas of South and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia (ca. 4,000–6,000 years ago) and to Yunnan, southern China and the Japanese Archipelago (ca. 2,000–3,500). This study provides a solid framework for the spatiotemporal movementof the human-associated organisms in Holocene Eastern Eurasia using whole mtDNA sequences, reliable evolutionary rates and accurate branching patterns. The information obtained here contributes to the analysis of a variety of animals and plants associated with prehistoric human migration. </div>

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Does competitive interaction drive species recognition in a house mouse secondary contact zone?

Miscommunication may induce a high risk of unnecessary escalated fights between competitors (populations to species), resulting in selection favoring signal divergence through agonistic character displacement (ACD). When signals allowing discrimination between competitors are also involved in mate recognition, ACD could explain reproductive character displacement (RCD). We tested interference competition between males as a potential driver of RCD (here, subspecies recognition) in a secondary contact zone between two mouse subspecies (Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus) displaying asymmetric dominance. Since such asymmetry could create a conflict between subspecies (compatibility) and quality (dominance) recognition in the contact zone, we tested for geographic variation in female preference for dominant males in the subordinate subspecies, musculus. We assessed competition between males and tested ACD during dyadic encounters comparing behavior displayed during trials between heterosubspecifics originating from populations close to the secondary contact ("contact") and further away ("allopatric"). We also compared behavior of contact versus allopatric males during homosubspecific versus heterosubspecific trials to test whether subspecies discrimination evolved under competitive interference. Although domesticus dominated most heterosubspecific trials regardless of geographic origin, agonistic behavior was more marked (i.e., lower attack latencies) during contact than allopatric encounters, suggesting that ACD occurred. Comparing behavior during homosubspecific and heterosubspecific encounters, only allopatric musculus displayed differences, that is, higher attack latencies toward heterosubspecifics, indicating that discrimination between competitors did not evolve with ACD. Finally, although allopatric musculus females seemed to prefer dominant males, their contact counterparts did not, suggesting that "compatibility" may have outweighed "quality" under a risk of hybridization.

opencc-zeroDec 2010View details →

Data from: Polyandry and the decrease of a selfish genetic element in a wild house mouse population

Despite deleterious effects on individuals, the t haplotype is a selfish genetic element present in many house mouse populations. By distorting the transmission ratio, +/t males transmit the t haplotype to up to 90% of their offspring. However, t/t individuals perish in utero. Theoretical models based on these properties predict a much higher t frequency than observed, leading to the t paradox. Here, we use empirical field data and theoretical approaches to investigate whether polyandry is a female counterstrategy against the negative fitness consequences of such distorters. We found a significant decrease of the t frequency over a period of 5.5 years that cannot be explained by the effect of transmission ratio distortion and recessive lethals, despite significantly higher life expectancy of +/t females compared to +/+ females. We quantified life history data and homozygous and heterozygous fitness effects. Population subdivision and inbreeding were excluded as evolutionary force influencing the t system. The possible influence of polyandry on the t system was then investigated by applying a stochastic model to this situation. Simulations show that polyandry can explain the observed t dynamics, making it a biologically plausible explanation for low t frequencies in natural populations in general.

opencc-zeroDec 2011View details →

Data from: How random is social behaviour? Disentangling social complexity through the study of a wild house mouse population

Out of all the complex phenomena displayed in the behaviour of animal groups, many are thought to be emergent properties of rather simple decisions at the individual level. Some of these phenomena may also be explained by random processes only. Here we investigate to what extent the interaction dynamics of a population of wild house mice (Mus domesticus) in their natural environment can be explained by a simple stochastic model. We first introduce the notion of perceptual landscape, a novel tool used here to describe the utilisation of space by the mouse colony based on the sampling of individuals in discrete locations. We then implement the behavioural assumptions of the perceptual landscape in a multi-agent simulation to verify their accuracy in the reproduction of observed social patterns. We find that many high-level features -- with the exception of territoriality -- of our behavioural dataset can be accounted for at the population level through the use of this simplified representation. Our findings underline the potential importance of random factors in the apparent complexity of the mice's social structure. These results resonate in the general context of adaptive behaviour versus elementary environmental interactions.

opencc-zeroDec 2012View details →

Data from: Sexual selection against natural hybrids may contribute to reinforcement in a house mouse hybrid zone

Sexual selection may hinder gene flow across contact zones when hybrid recognition signals are discriminated against. We tested this hypothesis in a unimodal hybrid zone between Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus where a pattern of reinforcement was described and lower hybrid fitness documented. We presented mice from the border of the hybrid zone with a choice between opposite sex urine from the same subspecies versus hybrids sampled in different locations across the zone. While no preference was evidenced in domesticus mice, musculus males discriminated in favour of musculus signals and against hybrid signals. Remarkably, the pattern of hybrid unattractiveness did not vary across the hybrid zone. Moreover, allopatric populations tested in the same conditions did not discriminate against hybrid signals, indicating character displacement for signal perception or preference. Finally, habituation–discrimination tests assessing similarities between signals pointed out that hybrid signals differed from the parental ones. Overall, our results suggest that perception of hybrids as unattractive has evolved in border populations of musculus after the secondary contact with domesticus. We discuss the mechanisms involved in hybrid unattractiveness, and the potential impact of asymmetric sexual selection on the hybrid zone dynamics and gene flow between the two subspecies.

zenodo32/100

Distribution. Now restricted to the Channel Country of SW Queensland and the Lake Eyre Basin in NE South Australia. Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-120 mm, tail 105-160 mm, ear 23-29 mm, hindfoot 32-37 mm; weight 30-50 g. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has body form typical of hopping mice, with very long hindfeet, long tail with distal brush of longer hairs, very long ears, and large protruberant eyes. Dorsal fur is of variable color, from pale pinkish fawn to gray; ventral fur white. Unlike most other hopping mice, it has no throat pouch, but males have a glandular area of naked skin on the chest. Habitat. Occurs in low shrublands and tussock grasslands on stony ("gibber") plains and claypans. Shows marked habitat segregation from the Dusky Hopping Mouse (N. fuscus), which is closely associated with sandy substrates. Food and Feeding. The Fawn Hopping Mouse is mostly granivorous, but also eats other plant material (stems, leaves) and occasionally invertebrates. It uses succulent, salt-adapted plants around edges of claypans as a source of water. Breeding. Reproduction is probably largely opportunistic and aseasonal, with high reproductive output from near-continuous breeding after periods of high rainfall; reported littersize is 1-5, most commonly three; gestation period 38-43 days for nonlactating females. Females may mature later than other hopping mice, with reproductive maturity reached at about six months. Activity patterns. Terrestrial and nocturnal. Fawn Hopping Mice shelter during day in burrow systems that are typically simpler and shallower than those of other hopping mice. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Fawn Hopping Mice generally live singly or in small groups; typically uncommon within range, but population density may increase by an order of magnitude following periods of high rainfall. Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has shown marked decline in range (estimated at greater than 50%), and presumably population size, since European settlement of Australia. This is mostlikely due to predation by the introduced house cat and Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), and to habitat degradation associated with pastoralism. Bibliography. Brazenor (1934), Burbidge et al. (2008), Finlayson (1939), Gould (1853), Jackson & Groves (2015), Murray et al. (1999), Ogilby (1892), Thomas (1921h), Van Dyck & Strahan (2008), Waite (1898), Watts & Aslin (1981), Woinarski et al. (2014), Wood Jones (1925). in Muridae

Distribution. Now restricted to the Channel Country of SW Queensland and the Lake Eyre Basin in NE South Australia. Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-120 mm, tail 105-160 mm, ear 23-29 mm, hindfoot 32-37 mm; weight 30-50 g. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has body form typical of hopping mice, with very long hindfeet, long tail with distal brush of longer hairs, very long ears, and large protruberant eyes. Dorsal fur is of variable color, from pale pinkish fawn to gray; ventral fur white. Unlike most other hopping mice, it has no throat pouch, but males have a glandular area of naked skin on the chest. Habitat. Occurs in low shrublands and tussock grasslands on stony ("gibber") plains and claypans. Shows marked habitat segregation from the Dusky Hopping Mouse (N. fuscus), which is closely associated with sandy substrates. Food and Feeding. The Fawn Hopping Mouse is mostly granivorous, but also eats other plant material (stems, leaves) and occasionally invertebrates. It uses succulent, salt-adapted plants around edges of claypans as a source of water. Breeding. Reproduction is probably largely opportunistic and aseasonal, with high reproductive output from near-continuous breeding after periods of high rainfall; reported littersize is 1-5, most commonly three; gestation period 38-43 days for nonlactating females. Females may mature later than other hopping mice, with reproductive maturity reached at about six months. Activity patterns. Terrestrial and nocturnal. Fawn Hopping Mice shelter during day in burrow systems that are typically simpler and shallower than those of other hopping mice. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Fawn Hopping Mice generally live singly or in small groups; typically uncommon within range, but population density may increase by an order of magnitude following periods of high rainfall. Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Fawn Hopping Mouse has shown marked decline in range (estimated at greater than 50%), and presumably population size, since European settlement of Australia. This is mostlikely due to predation by the introduced house cat and Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), and to habitat degradation associated with pastoralism. Bibliography. Brazenor (1934), Burbidge et al. (2008), Finlayson (1939), Gould (1853), Jackson & Groves (2015), Murray et al. (1999), Ogilby (1892), Thomas (1921h), Van Dyck & Strahan (2008), Waite (1898), Watts & Aslin (1981), Woinarski et al. (2014), Wood Jones (1925).

opennotspecifiedNov 2017View details →

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Genome-wide mapping in a house mouse hybrid zone reveals hybrid sterility loci and Dobzhansky-Muller interactions

Mapping hybrid defects in contact zones between incipient species can identify genomic regions contributing to reproductive isolation and reveal genetic mechanisms of speciation. The house mouse features a rare combination of sophisticated genetic tools and natural hybrid zones between subspecies. Male hybrids often show reduced fertility, a common reproductive barrier between incipient species. Laboratory crosses have identified sterility loci, but each encompasses hundreds of genes. We map genetic determinants of testis weight and testis gene expression using offspring of mice captured in a hybrid zone between M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. Many generations of admixture enables high-resolution mapping of loci contributing to these sterility-related phenotypes. We identify complex interactions among sterility loci, suggesting multiple, non-independent genetic incompatibilities contribute to barriers to gene flow in the hybrid zone.