Tyrosinase (Tyr) Gene Mutation in Albino Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

Tyrosinase is encoded by the Tyr (c or albino) locus and is the key enzyme in pigment biosynthesis. Loss of function of this enzyme caused by gene mutation results in albinism. Most cases of albinism are caused by missense mutations of tyrosinase. Albino mutations in Tyr have been identified in various animals, including human, mouse, rat, rabbit, cattle, cat, and ferret, but not in gerbil. We created two new gerbil strains: MON/Num/a (inbred agouti phenotype) and MON/Num/c (albino phenotype). Here, we report that four nucleotide substitutions in the Tyr gene caused two missense mutations in amino acids in the albino gerbil: a G-to-A mutation at position 204 in exon 1 caused R77H, and A-to-G at position 1392 and G-to-T at position 1393 in exon 5 caused Q473R. The substitution at position 1408 in exon 5 was silent. These missense mutations are conserved in all albino phenotypes we tested. Therefore, we suggest that these mutations are responsible for albinism in gerbil.

Impairment of cellular and humoral immunity in overweight Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Animal immunity is usually impaired in obesity.We know little about the effect of being overweight or obese on the immune function of wild rodents.The present study is aimed to test the hypothesis that immunity is suppressed in overweight Mongolian gerbils(Meriones unguiculatus).In the study,16 overweight(body mass:90.8-127.6 g)and 16 lean gerbils(body mass:60.5-77.7 g)were randomly selected from a total of 174 male gerbils(body mass range:55.8-144.7 g).Half of the overweight and lean males were injected with sterile saline;the others were immunochallenged(IC)with phytohaemagglutinin and keyhole limpet hemocyanin to assess cellular and humoral immunity,respectively.Body fat mass,wet and dry spleen mass,leukocyte counts,blood glucose levels and serum leptin levels were significantly higher in the overweight gerbils than in the lean gerbils.However,phytohemagglutinin response indicative of cellular immunity and immunoglobulin G concentrations was significantly lower in the IC overweight gerbils than in the IC lean gerbils.These results indicate that cellular and humoral immunity are impaired in the overweight gerbils.Excessive body fat mass,higher leukocyte counts and serum leptin levels imply that overweight gerbils are in a low grade inflammatory state.

Inter-group associations in Mongolian gerbils:Quantitative evidence from social network analysis

Animals often interact non-randomly with conspecifics,and association preferences can differ across life-histo­ry stages to maximize individuals’fitness.Mongolian gerbils(Meriones unguiculatus)are a social rodent that live in highly seasonal habitats and display seasonal fluctuations in population density,growth rate and the size of overlapped home ranges.Nevertheless,whether gerbils modify their social relationships at different life-his­tory stages remains unknown.Here,we used social network analysis to examine whether social associations dif­fer between the sexes and between life-history stages in a wild population of Mongolian gerbils.We quantified social attributes at both group level(assortativity)and individual level(social differentiation and degree,close­ness and betweenness centrality);these attributes reflect individuals’social preferences and their potential influ­ence on others in the network.We found that both male and female gerbils established fewer inter-group social connections during the food-hoarding season than during the breeding season,revealing constraints on sociali­ty.Similarly,during the food-hoarding season,degree centrality and social differentiation increased significant­ly whereas closeness and betweenness centrality decreased significantly.Together,these results suggest that ger­bils have relatively more partners and preferred associations and decreased influence over others in the network during the food-hoarding season.In addition,we found no significant difference in any of the social attribute be­tween males and females,but there was a significant interaction effect between sex and season on degree,close­ness and betweenness centrality.Our results demonstrate that Mongolian gerbils adjust their association strat­egies to adapt to the changes of life history.Such adjustments may balance the costs/benefits associated with survival and reproduction.

Effects of levonorgestrel-quinestrol(EP-1)treatment on Mongolian gerbil wild populations:a case study

Rodent pest population outbreaks occur frequently in grassland ecosystems in northern China.The Mongolian gerbil(Meriones unguiculatus)is a dominant pest rodent which is distributed across the semi-desert grasslands of Inner Mongolia,China.In 2009,we studied the contraceptive effect of levonorgestrel-quinestrol(EP-1),concentration 50 ppm,on a wild Mongolian gerbil population.The one-off contraceptive treatment was compared with a control group using a semi-monthly live trapping method in the Ordos Semi-desert Grassland Region of Inner Mongolia.The results show that juveniles were not recruited in spring in the treatment group.Ratios of juveniles in the control and treatment groups showed significant semi-monthly differences from spring to summer(one-way ANOVA,F_(2,14)=7.53,P<0.05).Between both groups,annual fluctuations of juvenile and total population densities were significantly different respectively(F_(2,14)=4.64,P<0.05;F_(2,18)=7.72,P<0.05).The contraceptive EP-1 delayed the normal reproductive pattern of Mongolian gerbil populations.This suppressed birth rates of gerbil populations,reduced their densities,and changed their age structures.The period of EP-1 baiting should be extended but it could be an ideal method for controlling Mongolian gerbil populations during each breeding season.