Open AccessGeographical pattern of genetic variation in the Robertsonian system of Mus musculus domesticus in central Italy
Author(s) -
CASTIGLIA RICCARDO,
ANNESI FLAVIA,
CAPANNA ERNESTO
Publication year - 2005
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/j.1095-8312.2005.00442.x
Subject(s) - biology , house mouse , mitochondrial dna , mtdna control region , haplotype , evolutionary biology , population , genetics , zoology , allele , demography , gene , sociology
The Robertsonian (Rb) system of Mus musculus domesticus in central Italy consists of three Rb races (CD, 2 n = 22; CB, 2 n = 22; ACR, 2 n = 24), and additional Rb populations with new metacentrics have recently been reported. The aim of the present paper is to provide insight into the process of house mouse raciation in this area. Here we present new data concerning the geographical distribution of mtDNA haplotypes (control region sequence) in the three Rb races and in the surrounding standard populations. The presence of exclusive clades in all the three Rb races supports the idea of a past fragmentation event and a subsequent period of isolation. However, comparison of mtDNA polymorphism between Rb and standard races, and the shape of the mismatch distribution within the races, does not reveal any clear sign of a strong reduction in population size, at this geographical scale, related to race formation. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 84 , 395–405.