Population Genetics of the Medicinal Leech Whitmania pigra Based on Mitochondrial Genes.
6 affiliations
- 1Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Bioresource Utilization of Jiangxi Province, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China.
- 2Cancer Center, Laboratory of Oncogene, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
- 3College of Biology and Food Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, China.
- 4Yunnan International Joint Laboratory with South and Southeast Asia for the Integrated Development of Animal-Derived Anti-Thrombosis Chinese Medicine, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011, China.
- 5Yunnan Key Laboratory of Leech Bioresources and Industrialization, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China.
- 6School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Functional Biology and Pollution Control in Red Soil Regions, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an 343009, China.
Abstract
Background: Leeches possess significant medicinal value as antithrombotic agents, and elucidating their population genetic background is of great importance for the conservation of medicinal germplasm resources and the development of pharmaceutical applications. Methods: In this study, mitochondrial genes (COI, Cytb, and ND1) were used as molecular markers to systematically investigate the population genetic characteristics of wild Whitmania pigra from 13 regions across China. A total of 137 individuals were sequenced, yielding a concatenated alignment of 3554 bp with 441 variable sites. Haplotype networks and phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the concatenated sequences, alongside BAPS clustering, neutrality tests, and Bayesian Skyline Plot (BSP) analyses. Results: Genetic diversity analyses revealed that the species-level concatenated dataset and most populations exhibited high haplotype diversity (Hd > 0.5) and low nucleotide diversity (Pi < 0.02), with JXJA as a notable exception (concatenated Hd = 0.200). Neutrality tests (Fu's Fs = -6.002, p = 0.001) supported a scenario of historical bottlenecks followed by rapid demographic expansion, whereas the reduced diversity in JXJA may reflect a local bottleneck or founder effect. Haplotype networks, phylogenetic trees, and BAPS clustering consistently divided the 13 populations into three significantly differentiated groups: northeastern (HLJ), southern, and northern-central. The HLJ population exhibited extremely high genetic differentiation (FST = 0.902-0.977), suggesting it may represent a highly differentiated mitochondrial lineage and a candidate Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU). The BSP analysis reconstructed four phases of demographic history, broadly corresponding to climatic fluctuations since the Late Pleistocene. Conclusions: Overall, this study reveals high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity in W. pigra, with JXJA representing a distinct local bottleneck case. The populations are strongly structured into three lineages, with the HLJ population representing a highly differentiated mitochondrial lineage and a candidate ESU. Demographic dynamics appear broadly associated with Late Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, though the timing remains uncertain due to the substitution rate. These findings provide a basis for W. pigra conservation, and future studies incorporating nuclear markers are warranted.
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BibTeX
@article{pan2026population,
title = {{Population Genetics of the Medicinal Leech Whitmania pigra Based on Mitochondrial Genes.}},
author = {Yanping Pan and Pinpin Zhou and Yiyong Luo and Ming Yang and Huanhuan Chen and Zichao Liu and Fang Zhao and Gonghua Lin and Lizhou Tang},
journal = {Genes},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/genes17101278},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42938394},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Population Genetics of the Medicinal Leech Whitmania pigra Based on Mitochondrial Genes.
AU - Yanping Pan
AU - Pinpin Zhou
AU - Yiyong Luo
AU - Ming Yang
AU - Huanhuan Chen
AU - Zichao Liu
AU - Fang Zhao
AU - Gonghua Lin
AU - Lizhou Tang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Genes
DO - 10.3390/genes17101278
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42938394
AB - Background: Leeches possess significant medicinal value as antithrombotic agents, and elucidating their population genetic background is of great importance for the conservation of medicinal germplasm resources and the development of pharmaceutical applications. Methods: In this study, mitochondrial genes (COI, Cytb, and ND1) were used as molecular markers to systematically investigate the population genetic characteristics of wild Whitmania pigra from 13 regions across China. A total of 137 individuals were sequenced, yielding a concatenated alignment of 3554 bp with 441 variable sites. Haplotype networks and phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the concatenated sequences, alongside BAPS clustering, neutrality tests, and Bayesian Skyline Plot (BSP) analyses. Results: Genetic diversity analyses revealed that the species-level concatenated dataset and most populations exhibited high haplotype diversity (Hd > 0.5) and low nucleotide diversity (Pi < 0.02), with JXJA as a notable exception (concatenated Hd = 0.200). Neutrality tests (Fu's Fs = -6.002, p = 0.001) supported a scenario of historical bottlenecks followed by rapid demographic expansion, whereas the reduced diversity in JXJA may reflect a local bottleneck or founder effect. Haplotype networks, phylogenetic trees, and BAPS clustering consistently divided the 13 populations into three significantly differentiated groups: northeastern (HLJ), southern, and northern-central. The HLJ population exhibited extremely high genetic differentiation (FST = 0.902-0.977), suggesting it may represent a highly differentiated mitochondrial lineage and a candidate Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU). The BSP analysis reconstructed four phases of demographic history, broadly corresponding to climatic fluctuations since the Late Pleistocene. Conclusions: Overall, this study reveals high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity in W. pigra, with JXJA representing a distinct local bottleneck case. The populations are strongly structured into three lineages, with the HLJ population representing a highly differentiated mitochondrial lineage and a candidate ESU. Demographic dynamics appear broadly associated with Late Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, though the timing remains uncertain due to the substitution rate. These findings provide a basis for W. pigra conservation, and future studies incorporating nuclear markers are warranted.
SN - 2073-4425
ER -