Open AccessIs increased chromosomal diversity in house mice from Lombardy (Italy) congruent with genic divergence?
Author(s) -
Montgelard Claudine,
Catalan Josette,
BrittonDavidian Janice
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
biological journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.906
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1095-8312
pISSN - 0024-4066
DOI - 10.1111/bij.12739
Subject(s) - biology , gene flow , subspecies , genetics , house mouse , evolutionary biology , divergence (linguistics) , gene , genetic variation , zoology , linguistics , philosophy
Recent studies in metacentric ( MC ) populations of the house mouse, Mus musculus domesticus , singled out underdominance more so than recombination suppression as the foremost barrier to gene flow. Here, MC populations from Lombardy (Italy) were sampled to identify the nature and strength of the barriers to gene flow. The chromosomal analysis recovered the three major MC populations (abbreviated to IBIN , IGAL , both with 2 n = 24 and ICRE , 2 n = 22), but revealed the existence of a new one ( IONE , 2 n = 24) which likely derived from IGAL through a single WART (Whole‐Arm Reciprocal Translocation). This, once again, highlights the paramount role of WART s in the chromosomal diversification of this subspecies. Contacts between MC and standard populations coincided with rivers confirming these hybrid zones as tension zones. Divergence between populations was estimated using available allozyme data. Although the overall low genetic structure globally agreed with the chromosome structure, a large variation in divergence levels was retrieved that only partially matched the underdominance degree. This disparity from expectations highlighted the additional contribution of physical barriers and geographic isolation to the differential rate of evolution of the MC populations of the house mouse.