Cytochrome B Gene (cytochrome + b_gene)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Life Sciences

Kinds of Cytochrome B Gene

  • mitochondrial cytochrome b gene

  • Terms modified by Cytochrome B Gene

  • cytochrome b gene sequence

  • Selected Abstracts


    Phylogenetic Reanalysis of the Saudi Gazelle and Its Implications for Conservation

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001
    Robert L. Hammond
    The Saudi gazelle ( Gazella saudiya) was endemic to the Arabian peninsula but is now considered extinct in the wild and is potentially a candidate for captive breeding and reintroduction. Using 375 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b gene derived from museum samples collected from the wild prior to the presumed extinction of this species, we show that G. saudiya is the sister taxon of the African dorcas gazelle ( G. dorcas). Reciprocal monophyly of G. saudiya mtDNA haplotypes with G. dorcas, coupled with morphological distinctiveness, suggests that it is an evolutionarily significant unit. These data indicate that captive populations identified previously as potential sources of G. saudiya for captive breeding appear incorrectly designated and are irrelevant to the conservation of G. saudiya. The polymerase chain reaction,restriction fragment length polymorphism ( PCR-RFLP) analysis of several private collections of living gazelles in Saudi Arabia provides no evidence for the survival of G. saudiya. We recommend that field surveys be undertaken to establish whether G. saudiya is indeed extinct in the wild and that other private collections within the Arabian peninsula be screened genetically. We urge caution when captive animals of unknown provenance are used to investigate the phylogenetics of cryptic species groups. Resumen: La identificación de poblaciones taxonómicamente apropiadas de especies en peligro para programas de reproducción en cautiverio y de reintroducción es fundamental para su éxito. La Gacela Saudi (Gazella saudiya) fue endémica a la península de Arabia pero ahora está considerada como extinta en su medio y es un candidato potencial para reproducción en cautiverio y reintroducción. Utilizando 375 pares de bases de ADN mitocondrial (ADNmt) del gene citocromo b derivados de muestras de museos colectadas en el medio silvestre antes de la extinción de la especie, mostramos que G. saudiya es el taxón hermano de la gacela dorcas africana (G. dorcas). La monofilia recíproca de haplotipos de ADNmt de G. saudiya con G. dorcas, aunado a diferencias morfológicas, sugiere que es una unidad evolutiva significativa. Estos datos indican que las poblaciones cautivas identificadas previamente como fuente potencial de G. saudiya para reproducción en cautiverio están incorrectamente identificadas y son irrelevantes para la conservación de G. saudiya. El análisis PCR-RFLP de varias colecciones privadas de gacelas vivas en Arabia Saudita no proporcionan evidencia para la supervivencia de G. saudiya. Recomendamos que se realicen muestreos en el campo para establecer si en efecto G. saudiya está extinta en su hábitat y que se examinen genéticamente las otras colecciones privadas en la península Arábiga. Recomendamos precaución cuando animales cautivos de origen desconocido son utilizados para investigar la filogenia de grupos de especies crípticas. [source]


    Subpopulations of Cryptocephalus beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): geographically close but genetically far

    DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 1 2003
    R. W. Piper
    Abstract. The leaf beetles Cryptocephalus coryli, C. decemmaculatus and C. nitidulus are of conservation concern and are included on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The distinctiveness of the disjunct remaining populations of these beetles was compared to that of more continuously distributed Cryptocephalus species. This was carried out with a view to defining evolutionary significant units (ESUs) in the rare species. A portion of the cytochrome b gene, an intergenic spacer and partial tRNA was analysed from 93 specimens of Cryptocephalus beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Considerable sequence divergence was apparent in all the species, even at an intersite scale when the distances between sampled localities were very small (< 1 km). Intrapopulation, intersite and interpopulation divergence observed in the rare species was reflected in the species that have a more continuous distribution, implying that dispersal ability in these species is poor and gene flow can be impeded by relatively trivial barriers to dispersal. The evidence suggests that the disjunct populations of the rare Cryptocephalus species can, tentatively, be considered as ESUs. This has important implications for management strategies and reintroductions. [source]


    MOLECULAR EVIDENCE FOR THE ORIGIN OF WORKERLESS SOCIAL PARASITES IN THE ANT GENUS POGONOMYRMEX

    EVOLUTION, Issue 10 2002
    Joel D. Parker
    Abstract., Speciation of two social parasites from their respective hosts is tested using a molecular phylogeny. Alignment of 711 DNA base pairs of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was used to assess phylogenetic relationships of inquiline species to their hosts and to other members of the genus. We show that the inquiline social parasites of the North American seed harvester ants are monophyletic, descending from one of the known hosts (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) in the recent past and shifting hosts in a pattern similar to that observed in other Hymenopteran social parasites. In addition, the host populations unexpectedly were found to be polyphyletic. Populations of Pogonomyrmex rugosus from an area east of the Chiricahua Mountains in Southern Arizona belong to a mitochondrial clade separate from the more western clade of P. rugosus from the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. Evidence of mitochondrial DNA introgression between P. rugosus and P. barbatus was also observed. We conclude that Emery's rule does not strictly hold for this system, but that the hosts and parasites are very closely related, supporting a loose definition of Emery's rule. [source]


    PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AND MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN DARWIN'S FINCHES AND THEIR RELATIVES

    EVOLUTION, Issue 6 2002
    Kevin J. Burns
    Abstract Despite the importance of Darwin's finches to the development of evolutionary theory, the origin of the group has only recently been examined using a rigorous, phylogenetic methodology that includes many potential outgroups. Knowing the evolutionary relationships of Darwin's finches to other birds is important for understanding the context from which this adaptive radiation arose. Here we show that analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the cytochrome b gene confirm that Darwin's finches are monophyletic. In addition, many taxa previously proposed as the sister taxon to Darwin's finches can be excluded as their closest living relative. Darwin's finches are part of a well-supported monophyletic group of species, all of which build a domed nest. All but two of the non-Darwin's finches included in this clade occur on Caribbean islands and most are Caribbean endemics. These close relatives of Darwin's finches show a diversity of bill types and feeding behaviors similar to that observed among Darwin's finches themselves. Recent studies have shown that adaptive evolution in Darwin's finches occurred relatively quickly. Our data show that among the relatives of Darwin's finches, the evolution of bill diversity was also rapid and extensive. [source]


    Genetic diversity and historical population structure in the New Zealand mayfly Acanthophlebia cruentata

    FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
    PETER J. SMITH
    Summary 1. Nucleotide sequences of a 280 base pair region of the cytochrome b gene were used to assess genetic diversity and to infer population histories in the New Zealand mayfly Acanthophlebia cruentata. 2. A hierarchial examination of populations from 19 streams at different spatial scales in the central and northern North Island of New Zealand found 34 haplotypes. A common haplotype was found in all central region streams and unique haplotypes in northern streams. Several central streams had region specific haplotypes with genetically differentiated populations at the 70,100 km scale. 3. Haplotype diversity was high (0.53,0.8) at most sites, but low (0,0.22) in some central sites. amova analyses found significant genetic diversity among regions (69%) and among catchments (58%). Most population pairwise FST tests were significant, with non-significant pairwise tests among sites in the central region and pairs of sites between neighbouring streams. 4. The levels of sequence divergence are interpreted as the result of Pleistocene divergence in multiple refugia, leading to the evolution of regionally unique haplotypes. The low diversity in some central region populations may result from recent colonisation following local extinctions, associated with volcanic events. [source]


    Discovery of ten new specimens of large-billed reed warbler Acrocephalus orinus, and new insights into its distributional range

    JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
    Lars Svensson
    We here report the finding of ten new specimens of the poorly known large-billed reed warbler Acrocephalus orinus. Preliminary identifications were made on the basis of bill, tarsus and claw measurements, and their specific identity was then confirmed by comparison of partial sequences of the cytochrome b gene with a large data set containing nearly all other species in the genus Acrocephalus, including the type specimen of A. orinus. Five of the new specimens were collected in summer in Afghanistan and Kazakhstan, indicating that the species probably breeds in Central Asia, and the data and moult of the others suggest that the species migrates along the Himalayas to winter in N India and SE Asia. The population structure suggests a stable or shrinking population. [source]


    Glacial survival or late glacial colonization?

    JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 12 2006
    Phylogeography of the root vole (Microtus oeconomus) in north-west Norway
    Abstract Aim, It has been proposed that the root vole subspecies, Microtus oeconomus finmarchicus, survived the last glacial period on islands on the north-west coast of Norway. The Norwegian island of Andøya may have constituted the only site with permanent ice-free conditions. Geological surveys and fossil finds from Andøya demonstrate that survival throughout the last glacial maximum was probably possible for some plants and animals. In this study we aim to infer the recent evolutionary history of Norwegian root vole populations and to evaluate the glacial survival hypothesis. Methods, DNA sequence variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was studied in 46 root voles from 19 localities. Location, Northern Fennoscandia and north-west Russia with a focus on islands on the north-west coast of Norway. Results The phylogeographical analyses revealed two North European phylogroups labelled ,Andøya' and ,Fennoscandia'. The Andøya phylogroup contained root voles from the Norwegian islands of Andøya, Ringvassøya and Reinøya and two localities in north-west Russia. The Fennoscandian phylogroup encompassed root voles from the three Norwegian islands of Kvaløya, Håkøya and Arnøya and the remaining specimens from Norway, northern Sweden and Finland. Nucleotide diversity within the Andøya and Fennoscandian phylogroups was similar, ranging from 0.5% to 0.7%. Main conclusions Both our genetic data and previously published morphological data are consistent with in situ glacial survival of root voles on Andøya during the last glacial maximum. However, the level of genetic diversity observed in the extant island populations, the past periods of severe climatic conditions on Andøya and the ecology of the root vole are somewhat difficult to reconcile with this model. A biogeographical scenario involving late glacial recolonization along the northern coasts of Russia and Norway therefore represents a viable alternative. Our results demonstrate that complex recolonization and extinction histories can generate intricate phylogeographical patterns and relatively high levels of genetic variation in northern populations. [source]


    Weak phylogenetic effects on ecological niches of Sylvia warblers

    JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2003
    K. Böhning-Gaese
    Abstract To understand the evolution of ecological niches it is important to know whether niche evolution is constrained by phylogeny. We approached this question for Sylvia warblers by testing if closely related species are more similar in 20 ecologically relevant morphological traits than distantly related species. Phylogenetic relatedness was quantified using a molecular phylogeny based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. By Principal Component Analysis (PCA) two major niche axes were extracted. We tested the individual ecomorphological traits and the positions of the species on the PCA axes for phylogenetic effects using Mantel tests. The results demonstrated small but significant phylogenetic effects only for the length of the middle toe, a trait probably correlated with locomotion. In general, however, phylogenetic effects were very weak. This suggests that ecological niches in passerine birds have the potential to evolve rapidly and are not subject to major phylogenetic constraints. [source]


    Morphometric convergence and molecular divergence: the taxonomic status and evolutionary history of Gymnura crebripunctata and Gymnura marmorata in the eastern Pacific Ocean

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
    W.D. Smith
    To clarify the taxonomic status of Gymnura crebripunctata and Gymnura marmorata, the extent of morphological and nucleotide variation between these nominal species was examined using multivariate morphological and mitochondrial DNA comparisons of the same characters with congeneric species. Discriminant analysis of 21 morphometric variables from four species (G. crebripunctata, G. marmorata, Gymnura micrura and Gymnura poecilura) successfully distinguished species groupings. Classification success of eastern Pacific species improved further when specimens were grouped by species and sex. Discriminant analysis of size-corrected data generated species assignments that were consistently accurate in separating the two species (100% jackknifed assignment success). Nasal curtain length was identified as the character which contributed the most to discrimination of the two species. Sexual dimorphism was evident in several characters that have previously been relied upon to distinguish G. crebripunctata from G. marmorata. A previously unreported feature, the absence of a tail spine in G. crebripunctata, provides an improved method of field identification between these species. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses based on 698 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene indicate that G. crebripunctata and G. marmorata form highly divergent lineages, supporting their validity as distinct species. The closely related batoid Aetoplatea zonura clustered within the Gymnura clade, indicating that it may not represent a valid genus. Strong population structuring (overall ,ST = 0·81,P < 0·01) was evident between G. marmorata from the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula and the Gulf of California, supporting the designation of distinct management units in these regions. [source]


    Phylogeography of the bigeye chub Hybopsis amblops (Teleostei: Cypriniformes): early Pleistocene diversification and post-glacial range expansion

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 8 2008
    P. B. Berendzen
    The bigeye chub, Hybopsis amblops, is a member of the Central Highlands ichthyofauna of eastern North America. Phylogenetic analyses of the H. amblops species group based on a 1059 bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene did not recover a monophyletic group. The inclusion of Hybopsis hypsinotus in the species complex is questionable. Within H. amblops, five strongly supported clades were identified; two clades containing haplotypes from the Ozark Highlands and three clades containing haplotypes from the Eastern Highlands and previously glaciated regions of the Ohio and Wabash River drainages. Estimates of the timing of divergence indicated that prior to the onset of glaciation, vicariant events separated populations east and west of the Mississippi River. East of the Mississippi River glacial cycles associated with the blocking and rerouting of the Teays River system caused populations to be pushed southward into refugia of the upper Ohio River. Following the most recent Wisconsinan glaciation, populations expanded northward into previously glaciated regions and southward into the Cumberland River drainage. In the Ozarks, west of the Mississippi River, isolation of clades appears to be maintained by the lack of stream capture events between the upper Arkansas and the White River systems and a barrier formed by the Arkansas River. [source]


    Phylogeny and speciation of the eastern Asian cyprinid genus Sarcocheilichthys

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
    L. Zhang
    The genus Sarcocheilichthys is a group of small cyprinid fishes comprising 10 species/sub-species widely distributed in East Asia, which represents a valuable model for understanding the speciation of freshwater fishes in East Asia. In the present study, the molecular phylogenetic relationship of the genus Sarcocheilichthys was investigated using a 1140 bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Two different tree-building methods, maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian methods, yielded trees with almost the same topology, yielding high bootstrap values or posterior probabilities. The results showed that the genus Sarcocheilichthys consists of two large clades, clades I and II. Clade I contains Sarcocheilichthys lacustris, Sarcocheilichthys sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys parvus, with S. parvus at a basal position. In clade II, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus is at a basal position; samples of the widespread species, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis, form a large subclade containing another valid species Sarcocheilichthys czerskii. Sarcocheilichthys kiangsiensis is retained at an intermediate position. Since S. czerskii is a valid species in the S. nigripinnis clade, remaining samples of S. nigripinnis form a paraphyly. This speciation process is attributed to geographical isolation and special environmental conditions experienced by S. czerskii and stable environments experienced by the other S. nigripinnis populations. This type of speciation process was suggested to be very common. Samples of Sarcocheilichthys sinensis sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys sinensis fukiensis that did not form their own monophyletic groups suggest an early stage of speciation and support their sub-species status. Molecular clock analysis indicates that the two major lineages of the genus Sarcocheilichthys, clades I and II diverged c. 8·89 million years ago (mya). Sarcocheilichthys v. microoculus from Japan probably diverged 4·78 mya from the Chinese group. The northern,southern clades of S. nigripinnis began to diverge c. 2·12 mya, while one lineage of S. nigripinnis evolved into a new species, S. czerski, c. 0·34 mya. [source]


    Genetic and morphological characterization of a Lake Ohrid endemic, Salmo (Acantholingua) ohridanus with a comparison to sympatric Salmo trutta

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue A 2006
    S. Su
    Analysis of both uni-(two mtDNA gene sequences) and bi-parentally (seven microsatellite loci) inherited genetic markers, together with analysis of 40 morphological characters, described Salmo ohridanus as a highly divergent member of the genus Salmo. Based on comparative substitution rate differences at the cytochrome b gene, and a rough estimated age of the Salmo trutta complex (i.e. at least 2 million years), the S. ohridanus and Salmo obtusirostris clade probably split from a common ancestor of brown trout Salmo trutta >4 million years ago, overlapping with minimum age estimates of the formation of Europe's oldest freshwater habitat, Lake Ohrid. Comparative analysis with Lake Ohrid brown trout (known regionally as Salmo letnica), supported the notion that these fish have more recently colonized the lake and phylogenetically belong to the Adriatic lineage of brown trout. It is further suggested that species-specific saturation in the mtDNA control region underestimated the divergence between S. ohridanus and S. trutta. Evidence of rare hybridization between S. ohridanus and Lake Ohrid brown trout was seen at both mtDNA and microsatellite markers, but there was no support for extensive introgression. [source]


    Phylogenetic position of Salmo(Platysalmo)platycephalus Behnke 1968 from south-central Turkey, evidenced by genetic data

    JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004
    S. Su
    To determine whether the current classification of the flathead trout Salmo (Platysalmo) platycephalus, endemic to the upper reaches of the Zamanti River system, Turkey, based solely on morphology, is in congruence with molecular phylogeny, the nucleotide sequence variation in mitochondrial (control region and cytochrome b gene) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer of rRNA genes) DNA for the flathead trout and various representatives of the genus Salmo was studied. On the basis of pair-wise genetic distance estimates, the highest differences were found to exist between the flathead trout and S. salar, S. ohridana and S. obtusirostris, whereas the differences between the flathead trout and S. trutta were minimal. All the analyses performed firmly positioned the flathead trout within the Adriatic phylogeographic lineage of S. trutta; however, the exact position of the flathead trout within the Adriatic cluster was irresolvable. Accordingly, classifying the flathead trout as a subgenus of Salmo is unjustifiable and its reclassification in a lower taxonomic category is suggested by the present study. [source]


    Identification of Tetrodotoxin and Fish Species in an Adulterated Dried Mullet Roe Implicated in Food Poisoning

    JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 1 2003
    Y.W. Hsieh
    ABSTRACT: There was 1 victim of neurotoxic food poisoning from an adulterated dried mullet roe in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in March 2001. The victim exhibited typical neurotoxic symptoms. The residue of dried mullet roe retained by the victim was assayed for toxicity and mitochondrial DNA. Its toxicity was 3450 mouse units per gram. The toxin was partially purified and identified as tetrodotoxin and derivative. The sequence of the 376-nucleotide region in the cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial DNA exhibited the same genotype and the same restriction site for SapI as that of the toxic puffer fish Lagocephalus lunaris. [source]


    GENETIC VARIATION OF KOGIA SPP.

    MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005
    WITH PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR TWO SPECIES OF KOGIA SIMA
    Abstract Concordance between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers and morphologically based species identifications was examined for the two currently recognized Kogia species. We sequenced 406 base pairs of the control region and 398 base pairs of the cytochrome b gene from 108 Kogia breviceps and 47 K. sima samples. As expecred, the two sister species were reciprocally monophyletic to each other in phylogenetic reconstructions, but within K. sima, we unexpectedly observed another reciprocally monophyletic relationship. The two K. sima clades resolved were phylogeographically concordant with all of the haplotypes in one clade observed solely among specimens sampled from the Atlantic Ocean and with those in the other clade observed solely among specimens sampled from the Indo-Pacific Ocean. These apparently allopatric clades were observed in all phylogenetic reconstructions using the maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and neighborjoining algorithms, with the mtDNA gene sequences analyzed separately and combined. The nucleotide diversity for the combined gene sequence haplotypes of the two K. sima clades resolved in our analyses was 0.58% and 1.03% for the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, respectively, whereas for the two recognized sister species, nucleotide diversity was 1.65% and 4.02% for K. breviceps and K. sima, respectively. The combined gene sequence haplotypes have accumulated 44 fixed base pair differences between the two K. sima clades compared to 20 fixed base pair differences between the two recognized sister species. Although our results are consistent with species-level differences between the two K. sima clades, recognition of a third Kogia species awaits supporting evidence that these two apparently allopatric clades represent reproductively isolated groups of animals. [source]


    Mitochondrial and Wolbachia markers for the sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi: little population differentiation between peridomestic sites and gerbil burrows in Isfahan province, Iran

    MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
    P. Parvizi
    Abstract., In Iran, Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the main vector of Leishmania major Yakimoff & Schokhor (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), the causative agent of rural zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. This sandfly is abundant both in villages and in the burrows of the main reservoir host, the gerbil Rhombomys opimus (Licht.) (Rodentia: Gerbillidae). Populations of P. papatasi were sampled from the edges of villages in Isfahan province, using CDC miniature light traps in peridomestic sites and sticky papers placed at the entrances to gerbil burrows. Single peridomestic sites in two northern provinces were also sampled. Individual sandflies were characterized by PCR amplification and sequencing of fragments of their mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and of the wsp gene of endosymbiotic Wolbachia pipientis Hertig (alpha-Proteobacteria: Rickettsiaceae). The distributions of the haplotypes of these two maternally inherited genes were analysed to assess the population differentiation of P. papatasi, knowledge of which will be needed for planning control measures. For the first time these markers were used to characterize P. papatasi from gerbil burrows, and they indicated the absence not only of sympatric cryptic species but also of any long-term differentiation of lineages in different habitats. A single lineage of cytochrome b haplotypes was found, and both sexes in all populations had a high infection rate of the same A-group strain of Wolbachia (wPap). The distributions of cytochrome b haplotypes were consistent with females dispersing more than males, which has been reported for P. papatasi in other countries. The widespread distribution of wPap suggests that Wolbachia could be used to spread transgenes between populations of P. papatasi in different habitats. [source]


    The divergence of two independent lineages of an endemic Chinese gecko, Gekko swinhonis, launched by the Qinling orogenic belt

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 12 2010
    JIE YAN
    Abstract The genetic structure and demographic history of an endemic Chinese gecko, Gekko swinhonis, were investigated by analysing the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and 10 microsatellite loci for samples collected from 27 localities. Mitochondrial DNA data provided a detailed distribution of two highly divergent evolutionary lineages, between which the average pairwise distance achieved was 0.14. The geographic division of the two lineages coincided with a plate boundary consisting of the Qinling and Taihang Mts, suggesting a historical vicariant pattern. The orogeny of the Qinling Mts, a dispersal and major climatic barrier of the region, may have launched the independent lineage divergence. Both lineages have experienced recent expansion, and the current sympatric localities comprised the region of contact between the lineages. Individual-based phylogenetic analyses of nucDNA and Bayesian-clustering approaches revealed a deep genetic structure analogous to mtDNA. Incongruence between nucDNA and mtDNA at the individual level at localities outside of the contact region can be explained by the different inheritance patterns and male-biased dispersal in this species. High genetic divergence, long-term isolation and ecological adaptation, as well as the morphological differences, suggest the presence of a cryptic species. [source]


    Phylogeography of the North American red fox: vicariance in Pleistocene forest refugia

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 12 2009
    KEITH B. AUBRY
    Abstract Fossil, archaeological, and morphometric data suggest that indigenous red foxes in North America were derived from vicariance in two disjunct refugia during the last glaciation: one in Beringia and one in the contiguous USA. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a phylogeographical analysis of the North American red fox within its presettlement range. We sequenced portions of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (354 bp) gene and D-loop (342 bp) from 220 historical red fox specimens. Phylogenetic analysis of the cytochrome b gene produced two clades that diverged c. 400 000 years before present (bp): a Holarctic and a Nearctic clade. D-loop analyses of the Nearctic clade indicated three distinct subclades (, 99% Bayesian posterior probability); two that were more recently derived (rho estimate c. 20 000 bp) and were restricted to the southwestern mountains and the eastern portion of North America, and one that was older (rho estimate c. 45 000 bp) and more widespread in North America. Populations that migrated north from the southern refugium following deglaciation were derived from the colonization of North America during or prior to the Illinoian glaciation (300 000,130 000 bp), whereas populations that migrated south from the northern refugium represent a more recent colonization event during the Wisconsin glaciation (100 000,10 000 bp). Our findings indicate that Nearctic clade red foxes are phylogenetically distinct from their Holarctic counterparts, and reflect long-term isolation in two disjunct forest refugia during the Pleistocene. The montane lineage, which includes endangered populations, may be ecologically and evolutionarily distinct. [source]


    Phylogeography, phylogeny and hybridization in trichechid sirenians: implications for manatee conservation

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
    JULIANA A. VIANNA
    Abstract The three living species of manatees, West Indian (Trichechus manatus), Amazonian (Trichechus inunguis) and West African (Trichechus senegalensis), are distributed across the shallow tropical and subtropical waters of America and the western coast of Africa. We have sequenced the mitochondrial DNA control region in 330 Trichechus to compare their phylogeographic patterns. In T. manatus we observed a marked population structure with the identification of three haplotype clusters showing a distinct spatial distribution. A geographic barrier represented by the continuity of the Lesser Antilles to Trinidad Island, near the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela, appears to have restricted the gene flow historically in T. manatus. However, for T. inunguis we observed a single expanding population cluster, with a high diversity of very closely related haplotypes. A marked geographic population structure is likely present in T. senegalensis with at least two distinct clusters. Phylogenetic analyses with the mtDNA cytochrome b gene suggest a clade of the marine Trichechus species, with T. inunguis as the most basal trichechid. This is in agreement with previous morphological analyses. Mitochondrial DNA, autosomal microsatellites and cytogenetic analyses revealed the presence of hybrids between the T. manatus and T. inunguis species at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil, extending to the Guyanas and probably as far as the mouth of the Orinoco River. Future conservation strategies should consider the distinct population structure of manatee species, as well as the historical barriers to gene flow and the likely occurrence of interspecific hybridization. [source]


    Postglacial colonization of the Tibetan plateau inferred from the matrilineal genetic structure of the endemic red-necked snow finch, Pyrgilauda ruficollis

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
    YAN HUA QU
    Abstract Most phylogeographical studies of postglacial colonization focus on high latitude locations in the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we studied the phylogeographical structure of the red-necked snow finch Pyrgilauda ruficollis, an endemic species of the Tibetan plateau. We analysed 879 base pairs (bp) of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and 529 bp of the control region in 41 birds from four regional groups separated by mountain ranges. We detected 34 haplotypes, 31 of which occurred in a single individual and only three of which were shared among sampling sites within regional groups or among regional groups. Haplotype diversity was high (h = 0.94); nucleotide diversity was low (ð = 0.00415) and genetic differentiation was virtually non-existent. Analyses of mismatch distributions and geographically nested clades yielded results consistent with contiguous range expansion, and the expansion times were estimated as 0.07,0.19 million years ago (Ma). Our results suggest that P. ruficollis colonized the Tibetan plateau after the extensive glacial period (0.5,0.175 Ma), expanding from the eastern margin towards the inner plateau. Thus, in contrast to many of the postglacial phylogeographical structures known at high latitudes, this colonization occurred without matrilineal population structuring. This might be due to the short glacial cycles typical of the Tibetan plateau, adaptation of P. ruficollis to cold conditions, or refugia and colonized habitat being semicontinuous and thus promoting population mixing. [source]


    Mitochondrial phylogeography of the moor frog, Rana arvalis

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2004
    W. Babik
    Abstract The moor frog Rana arvalis is a lowland species with a broad Eurasiatic distribution, from arctic tundra through forest to the steppe zone. Its present-day range suggests that glacial refugia of this frog were located outside southern European peninsulas. We studied the species-wide phylogeographical pattern using sequence variation in a 682 base pairs fragment of mtDNA cytochrome b gene; 223 individuals from 73 localities were analysed. Two main clades, A and B, differing by c. 3.6% sequence divergence were detected. The A clade is further subdivided into two subclades, AI and AII differing by 1.0%. All three lineages are present in the Carpathian Basin (CB), whereas the rest of the species range, including huge expanses of Eurasian lowlands, are inhabited solely by the AI lineage. We infer that AII and B lineages survived several glacial cycles in the CB but did not expand, at least in the present interglacial, to the north. The geographical distribution and genealogical relationships between haplotypes from the AI lineage indicate that this group had two glacial refugia, one located in the eastern part of the CB and the other probably in southern Russia. Populations from both refugia contributed to the colonization of the western part of the range, whereas the eastern part was colonized from the eastern refugium only. The effective population size as evidenced by ,ML is an order of magnitude higher in the AI lineage than in the AII and B lineages. Demographic expansion was detected in all three lineages. [source]


    Molecular evidence for deep phylogenetic divergence in Mandrillus sphinx

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 7 2003
    P. T. Telfer
    Abstract Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) are forest primates indigenous to western central Africa. Phylogenetic analysis of 267 base pairs (bp) of the cytochrome b gene from 53 mandrills of known and 17 of unknown provenance revealed two phylogeographical groups, with haplotypes differentiated by 2.6% comprising seven synonymous transitions. The distribution of the haplotypes suggests that the Ogooué River, Gabon, which bisects their range, separates mandrill populations in Cameroon and northern Gabon from those in southern Gabon. The haplotype distribution is also concordant with that of two known mandrill simian immunodeficiency viruses, suggesting that these two mandrill phylogroups have followed different evolutionary trajectories since separation. [source]


    Phylogeography of Cape Verde Island skinks (Mabuya)

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2001
    R. P. Brown
    Abstract The Cape Verde Islands are of volcanic origin with most having appeared between the early Miocene and mid-Pleistocene. They contain six known species of Mabuya skinks. Phylogeographical relationships within and among the relatively widespread taxa M. stangeri, M. spinalis and M. delalandii were inferred, based on , 1 kbp of the cytochrome b gene (mitochondrial DNA). Reciprocal monophyly of M. spinalis and M. stangeri was established, which may have arisen from an early Pliocene/late Miocene cladogenetic event. Considerable between-island sequence divergence was detected among M. spinalis, which appears to have colonized the older islands (Sal and Boavista) first. Much lower sequence divergence was found in M. delalandii, indicating a more recent range expansion. Here, evidence points to colonization of the younger islands of Brava and Fogo soon after appearance. There are similarities between some of the described patterns and those seen in lizards from the Canary Islands. [source]


    Phylogeography of the dusky shrew, Sorex monticolus (Insectivora, Soricidae): insight into deep and shallow history in northwestern North America

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
    John R. Demboski
    Abstract Phylogenetic relationships among the dusky shrew (Sorexmonticolus) and eight related species (S. bairdi, S. bendirii, S. neomexicanus, S.ornatus, S. pacificus, S. palustris, S. sonomae and S.vagrans) were assessed using sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (801 bp). Analyses using parsimony and maximum likelihood revealed significant molecular variation not reflected in previous morphological studies of these species. Conversely, three morphologically defined species (S.bairdi, S.neomexicanusandS.pacificus) were poorly differentiated. SorexornatusandS.vagrans represented basal taxa for a more inclusive group that included: (i) a widespread Continental clade containing S.monticolus (Arizona to Alaska, including S. neomexicanus); (ii) a Coastal clade containing S.monticolus (Oregon to south-east Alaska, including S. bairdiandS. pacificus); (iii) the semiaquatic species (S. bendiriiandS. palustris); and (iv) S.sonomae. Additional subdivision was observed within the Continental clade corresponding to populations from the northern and southern Rocky Mountains. Average uncorrected sequence divergence between the Coastal and Continental clades was 5.3% (range 4.5,6.2%), which exceeds many interspecific comparisons within this species complex and within the genus Sorex. Lack of resolution of internal nodes within topologies suggests a deep history of rapid diversification within this group. Late Pleistocene/Holocene glacial perturbations are reflected in the shallow phylogeographic structure within these clades in western North America. Our results suggest also that S. monticolus is not monophyletic under current taxonomic nomenclature. This perspective on phylogeographic history was developed within a growing comparative framework for other organisms in western North America. [source]


    Phylogenetic divergence in leatherside chub (Gila copei) inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 8 2000
    Jerald B. Johnson
    Abstract We examined intra-specific phylogenetic relationships in leatherside chub, Gila copei. The complete mitochondrial (mt) cytochrome b gene (1140 bp) was sequenced for 30 individuals from 10 populations that span the geographical distribution of this species. Traditional phylogenetic analyses revealed two deeply divergent and evolutionarily distinct mtDNA clades that are geographically separated in northern and southern drainage basins. Inter-population sequence variation between clades ranged from 7.7 to 8.1%. The northern clade was genetically more similar and phylogenetically more closely related to the selected out-group Lepidomeda m. mollispinus than to the southern clade, suggesting that the taxonomy of this species may require revision. Sequence variation among populations within clades ranged from 0 to 0.3% in the north and from 0 to 0.7% in the south. Statistical parsimony was used to construct phylogenetic networks of haplotypes within clades. Nested clade analysis revealed that geographical fragmentation has played an important role in genetic structuring within northern and southern clades. [source]


    Molecular evidence for the identity of the Magenta petrel

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 2 2009
    HAYLEY A. LAWRENCE
    Abstract A lone petrel was shot from the decks of an Italian warship (the ,Magenta') while it was sailing the South Pacific Ocean in 1867, far from land. The species, unknown to science, was named the ,Magenta petrel' (Procellariiformes, Procellariidae, Pterodroma magentae). No other specimens of this bird were collected and the species it represented remained a complete enigma for over 100 years. We compared DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from the Magenta petrel to that of other petrels using phylogenetic methods and ancient DNA techniques. Our results strongly suggest that the Magenta petrel specimen is a Chatham Island taiko. Furthermore, given the collection location of the Magenta petrel, our finding indicates that the Chatham Island taiko forages far into the Pacific Ocean (near South America). This has implications for the conservation of the taiko, one of the world's rarest seabirds. [source]


    Non-invasive genetic identification of small mammal species using real-time polymerase chain reaction

    MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 6 2008
    S. MORAN
    Abstract DNA identification of non-invasive samples is a potentially useful tool for monitoring small mammal species. Here we describe a novel method for identifying five small mammal species: wood mouse, bank vole, common shrew, pygmy shrew and water shrew. Species-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction primers were designed to amplify fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from hair and scat samples. We also amplified nuclear DNA from scats, demonstrating their potential as a source of DNA for population genetic studies. [source]


    Rapid method for detecting resistance to a QoI fungicide in Plasmopara viticola populations

    PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 8 2009
    Seiichi Furuya
    Abstract BACKGROUND: The increasing occurrence of Qo inhibitor (QoI)-fungicide-resistant Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & MA Curtis) Berl. & DeToni populations is becoming a serious problem in the control of grapevine downy mildew worldwide. RESULTS: The authors have developed a rapid method for detecting resistance to a QoI fungicide, azoxystrobin, in P. viticola populations using the nested PCR-RFLP method. With this method, a glycine-to-alanine substitution was discovered at codon 143 in the cytochrome b gene of P. viticola populations found in Japan. CONCLUSION: It is proposed that the nested PCR-RFLP method is a high-speed, sensitive and reliable tool for detecting azoxystrobin-resistant P. viticola populations. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Characterisation of QoI-resistant field isolates of Botrytis cinerea from citrus and strawberry

    PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 8 2009
    Hideo Ishii
    Abstract BACKGROUND: In 2004, field isolates of Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr., resistant to strobilurin fungicides (QoIs), were first found in commercial citrus orchards in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Subsequently, QoI-resistant isolates of this fungus were also detected in plastic strawberry greenhouses in Saga, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures, Japan. Biological and molecular characterisation of resistant isolates was conducted in this study. RESULTS: QoI-resistant isolates of B. cinerea grew well on PDA plates containing kresoxim-methyl or azoxystrobin at 1 mg L,1, supplemented with 1 mM of n -propyl gallate, an inhibitor of alternative oxidase, whereas the growth of sensitive isolates was strongly suppressed. Results from this in vitro test were in good agreement with those of fungus inoculation tests in vivo. In resistant isolates, the mutation at amino acid position 143 of the cytochrome b gene, known to be the cause of high QoI resistance in various fungal pathogens, was found, but only occasionally. The heteroplasmy of cytochrome b gene was confirmed, and the wild-type sequence often present in the majority of resistant isolates, indicating that the proportion of mutated cytochrome b gene was very low. CONCLUSION: The conventional RFLP and sequence analyses of PCR-amplified cytochrome b gene are insufficient for molecular identification of QoI resistance in B. cinerea. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Monitoring of Venturia inaequalis harbouring the QoI resistance G143A mutation in French orchards as revealed by PCR assays

    PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 1 2009
    Séverine Fontaine
    Abstract BACKGROUND: Genetic resistance to QoI fungicides may account for recent failures to control Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Winter in French orchards. Two PCR-based assays were developed to detect the G143A point mutation in the fungal mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The mutation is known to confer a high level of resistance to QoI fungicides. Occurrence of the G143A mutation in French field isolates collected from 2004 to 2007 was monitored. RESULTS: The QoI-resistant cytochrome b allele was specifically detected either following the cleavage of the amplified marker by a restriction endonuclease (CAPS assay) or its amplification using an allele-specific PCR primer. Using either method, the G143A mutation was found in 42% of the 291 field samples originating from French orchards in which apple scab proved difficult to be controlled. Monitoring of the G143A mutation in orchards located in 15 French administrative regions indicated that the mutation was detected at least once in nine of the regions, and its presence ranged from 33% to 64% of the orchards analysed in 2004 and in 2007 respectively. CONCLUSION: The PCR-based methods developed in this study efficiently reveal the presence of the G143A mutation in French V. inaequalis field populations. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source]