Mitochondrial diversity of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Mountain Gorillas

Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park exhibit mitochondrial DNA diversity comparable to that of their closely related Grauer's gorilla, challenging the assumption of lower genetic variability in this critically endangered subspecies. Researchers analyzed 200 fecal samples from both habituated and wild gorillas using pooled sequencing, identifying ten mtDNA variants with over 20% threshold differences across the population mitogenome. This approach successfully distinguished biological variation from sequencing noise, even in challenging field conditions. The study also uncovered potential heteroplasmy and nuclear mitochondrial DNA segments, providing deeper insights into the genetic structure of this population. These findings underscore the utility of non-invasive sampling for large-scale genetic monitoring, offering critical data to support conservation efforts aimed at recovering mountain gorilla populations.

Knox, M. A., Almeida, V., Kalema-Zikusoka, G., Rubanga, S., Ngabirano, A., & Hayman, D. T. S. (2025). Mitochondrial diversity of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Mountain Gorillas. Genome Biology, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-025-03878-y