TY - JOUR T1 - Genome-wide changes in genetic diversity in a <em>Myotis lucifugus</em> population affected by white-nose syndrome JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/764647 SP - 764647 AU - TM Lilley AU - IW Wilson AU - KA Field AU - DA Reeder AU - G Turner AU - A Kurta AU - AS Blomberg AU - S Hoff AU - C Herzog AU - S Paterson Y1 - 2019/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/09/11/764647.abstract N2 - Novel pathogens can cause massive declines in populations, but seldom lead to extirpation of hosts. Rather, disease can act as a selective pressure on survivors, driving the evolution of resistance or tolerance. Bat white-nose syndrome (WNS) is a rapidly spreading wildlife disease in North America. The fungus causing the disease invades skin tissues of hibernating bats, resulting in disruption of hibernation behavior, premature energy depletion, and subsequent death. We use whole-genome sequencing to investigate changes in allele frequencies within a population of Myotis lucifugus in eastern North America, to scan for genetic resistance to WNS. Our results show low FST values within the population across time, i.e. prior to WNS (Pre-WNS) compared to population that has survived WNS (Post-WNS). However, when dividing the population with an arbitrary geographical cut-off between the states of Pennsylvania and New York, a sharp increase in values on scaffold GL429776 is evident in the Post-WNS samples. The genes present in the diverged area cannot be directly associated with selection caused by WNS based on previous literature. Thus, we conclude that WNS has not subjected M. lucifugus to selective pressure but may have allowed the rise of a selection for alleles in Pennsylvania through decreased gene flow within the population. Therefore, the existence of remnant sub-populations in the aftermath of WNS is likely due to other factors in bat life history besides genetic adaption. ER -