We performed a phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial DNA in the edible dormouse, Glis glis (Linnaeus, 1766), including 15 known haplotypes obtained across large part the European species’ range along with a fragment of the cytochrome b gene of one specimen from Alonissos island (Sporades archipelago, Greece). The haplotype of this specimen did not cluster with any other haplotypes, which were grouped into four lineages. The genetic divergence (mean K2P distance) between the Greek specimen and these four lineages, comprised between 3.3 % and 5.9 %, was comparable to the genetic divergence found between the aforesaid lineages (1.9-6.4 %). Accordingly, the specimen most likely falls into a new, never described before, Mediterranean mitochondrial lineage of G. glis.
The Metriorrhynchus fauna of the Philippines is revised. All known species are redescribed and seven new species are added: M. isarogensis sp. n., M. menieri sp. n., M. mindanaoensis sp. n., M. newbataanensis sp. n., M. ochii sp. n., M. palawanensis sp. n., and M. takedai sp. n. Additionally, M. yoshioi sp. n. is described from Sulawesi. Xylobanus longissimus Pic, 1922 is transferred to Metriorrhynchus, and Metriorrhynchus pallidus (Dalman in Schoenherr, 1818) is transferred to Leptotrichalus Kleine, 1925. The dispersal routes and speciation of Metriorrhynchus from the Philippines, Sulawesi and the Oriental Region were studied using mtDNA markers. One dispersal event is supposed for establishing of the Greater Sunda Islands fauna and another one for the Philippine fauna. Both faunas underwent speciation in the respective areas and all species show high degree of endemism. The Metriorrhynchus in Palawan is of Philippine origin in contrast with the tectonic history of Palawan and its connection with Borneo during the last glacial maximum.
Tissue differentiation and proliferation throughout fetal development interconnect with changes in the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) on the cellular level. Reevaluation of the expression data revealed a significant increase in COX4 and MTATP6 liver transcription levels after the 22nd gestational week (GW) which inspired us to characterize its functional impact. Specific activities of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), citrate synthase (CS), succinate-coenzyme Q reductase (SQR) and mtDNA determined by spectrophotometry and RT-PCR were studied in a set of 25 liver and 18 skeletal muscle samples at 13th to 29th GW. Additionally, liver hematopoiesis (LH) was surveyed by light microscopy. The mtDNA content positively correlated with the gestational age only in the liver. The activities of COX, CS and SQR in both liver and muscle isolated mitochondria significantly decreased after the 22nd GW in comparison with earlier GW. A continuous decline of LH, not correlating with the documented OXPHOS-specific activities, was observed from the 14th to the 24th GW indicating their exclusive reflection of liver tissue processes. Two apparently contradictory processes of increasing mtDNA transcription and decreasing OXPHOS-specific activities seem to be indispensable for rapid postnatal adaptation to high energy demands. The inadequate capacity of mitochondrial energy production may be an important factor in the mortality of children born before the critical developmental point of the 22nd GW., H. Kolarová, J. Křížová, M. Hůlková, H. Hansiková, H. Hůlková, V. Smid, J. Zeman, T. Honzík, M. Tesarová., and Seznam literatury
To re-evaluate the taxonomic status of Cheilosia canicularis (Panzer, 1801), C. himantopus (Panzer, 1798) and C. orthotricha Vujić & Claussen, 1994, variation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and 18 nuclear allozyme genes were surveyed in allopatric and sympatric populations from Serbia and Montenegro. Genetic relationships among five populations of these species from the Fruška Gora (Serbia), Kopaonik (Serbia) and Durmitor (Montenegro) mountains were analyzed. Seven allozyme loci (Aat, Aco, Fum, Idh-1, Idh-2, Mdh-2 and Sdh) were diagnostic for delineating C. orthotricha from the other two species, while only a low, but consistent, genetic differentiation was observed between C. canicularis and C. himantopus. Differentiating all three species was possible based solely on the species-specific alleles at the Est-? locus. Sequence comparisons of 738 bp of the COI gene from eleven specimens was consistent with the variability in nuclear allozymes. Sequence data revealed variation in 5% of the nucleotide sites among C. orthotricha and the C. canicularis/C. himantopus pair, while less variation (0.68%) was observed within the pair C. canicularis/C. himantopus. However, the presence of one diagnostic allozyme locus and five consistently variable nucleotide sites in sympatric populations of C. canicularis and C. himantopus (Durmitor, Montenegro) suggest that these two species have separate gene pools.
Plebejus argus is a model species for studying the biology, population ecology and genetics of butterflies. It is patchily distributed throughout most of its European range and considered to be sedentary. Habitats of the butterfly have to encompass two vital larval-resources, i.e. specific food plants and ants, since caterpillars are obligatorily myrmecophilous. The genetic structure of nine P. argus populations (85 individuals) was studied at an intermediate geographical scale (Eastern Poland, diameter of about 400 km) using two kinds of molecular markers i.e. COI (mtDNA) and EF-1α (nuclear gene). Both markers were highly variable with as many as 16 haplotypes and 39 alleles, respectively. Great genetic differentiation in the COI gene was detected (overall FST = 0.411, P < 0.001) but little genetic differentiation in the EF-1α gene (FST = 0.021, P < 0.001). The number of COI haplotypes (ranging from one to seven) and their distribution varied considerably among P. argus populations. The possibility that this heterogeneity was related to Wolbachia was excluded as this endoparasitic bacterium was not detected in samples from any of the populations studied. PCA and SAMOVA analyses divided the sampled populations into two or three groups, which could indicate different colonization routes. Moreover, the differences in genetic differentiation with respect to mtDNA and nuclear markers may suggest male-biased dispersal of P. argus at a larger scale. The hypothesis that females are philopatric is consistent with direct observations of the restricted colonization abilities of the butterfly, while the relatively homogeneous genetic structure revealed by previous allozyme studies in some areas might be explained by the possible higher mobility of males. and Marcin Sielezniew, Donata Ponikwicka-Tyszko, Miroslaw Ratkiewicz, Izabela Dziekanska, Agata Kostro-Ambroziak, Robert Rutkowski.
The increasing use of phylogeographic studies, based on mitochondrial DNA, in European mammals not only provides the genetic structure of the populations and a reconstruction of the evolutionary history of each taxon but is also useful in identifying cryptic species and areas that may represent conservation priorities. We reviewed the published data (about 60 articles) reporting phylogeographic studies, based on sequences of mtDNA genes, in order to identify those populations representing putative species, not yet formally described among European mammal species of all orders, with the exception of Chiroptera. A DNA taxonomic approach and the value of subspecies are also discussed in relation to conservation activities.
Phylogenetic relationships of European Maniola butterflies are reconstructed using molecular sequences from two regions of the mitochondrial DNA, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cytb). A total of 988 base pairs (486 for Cytb, and 502 for COI) were aligned for 15 individuals of Maniola and an outgroup species. The phylogenetic tree obtained through Bayesian inference analysis of the combined data sets shows evidence that the island endemic M. chia is indistinguishable from M. jurtina on the basis of the mtDNA genes studied. Net nucleotide divergence between M. jurtina and M. chia is 0.4%, but 2% between the M. jurtina and the M. nurag clade. A phenetically distinct entity of individuals from Sardinia appears to be a hybrid between M. nurag and M. jurtina. The southern and northern European ecotypes of M. jurtina, which differ in the summer aestivation period of the southern type, are not structured genetically at the level of coding mtDNA genes. Divergence time between M. nurag and M. jurtina was estimated to be 1.1 to 1.2 million years. Speciation most likely took place in the early Pleistocene as a consequence of the isolation of Sardinia, when the sea reflooded the Mediterranean basin after the Messinian crisis (about 5 million years ago).
Myotis alcathoe has been recorded in the territory of Slovakia for the first time. On 2 August 2001, two individuals of the species were netted at the entrance to the Stĺpová jaskyňa cave in the basaltic plateau of the Cerová vrchovina Mts (48° 12’ 23” N, 19° 54’ 37” E; 525 m a. s. l; ca. 2 km south of the village of Šurice). The species identification was confirmed by sequencing part of the mitochondrial gene ND1 in two specimens. Measurements and description of external and cranial characters, as well as description of the baculum of these two reference specimens are given for further comparisons of this poorly known species.
This is the first study of the morphological and molecular variation in two peripheral populations of the butterfly Jutta Arctic, Oeneis jutta, a glacial relict species endangered by the fragmentation of its habitat in Poland. An analysis of the morphological characteristics indicates that both Polish populations are similar but differ significantly in some characteristics. Levels of genetic variation were assessed using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene fragments together with a segment of the mtDNA control region (CR) and a nuclear elongation factor-1a (EF-1a) gene sequence. In addition, the pattern of molecular variation in specimens from eastern and northern Europe was examined. Interestingly, the analysis of variation in a 932-bp sequence of the nuclear EF-1a gene in representatives of the populations studied revealed a relatively higher level of diversity than that of mitochondrial genes. There was evidence of divergence between the peripheral populations and lack of gene flow between them. The two closely situated populations had a high FST value (0.69), which clearly indicates their isolation. These populations appear to be demographically independent breeding units, with distinctive allele frequencies and consequently should be recognized as separate units for management and conservation. The preliminary results are in accord with an a priori subdivision based on collection areas and suggest that habitat fragmentation has affected the genetic diversity and structure of these populations.
The common gudgeon Gobio gobio (L.) has a great phenotypic plasticity being one of the most variable fish species in Europe. In the Iberian Peninsula it has been considered to be an introduced species. However, recent publications have considered that gudgeon populations from different basins of the Iberian Peninsula are native. in this work we tried to clarify the status of Iberian populations by means of molecular methods. thirty-two specimens of common gudgeon from several localities placed in six different Iberian and South French basins (Duero, Ebro, Tajo, Nansa, Bidasoa and Nivelle) were analysed. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships between the Iberian gudgeon populations using the whole cytochrome b gene sequence (1141 bp). Moreover, one specimen of G. gobio from the Danube basin and two specimens of Ramanogobio (R. ciscaucasicus and R. uranoscopus) were also included in the study. Our data confirmed the monophyly of the Iberian-French populations analysed and indicated a high genetic differentiation with respect to the common gudgeon populations from Central Europe. However, our results also indicated a very close genetic relationship among the populations of different Iberian basins, showing low genetic distances between them. The absence of population structure among the Iberian populations of G. gobio seems to be due to human activity.