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Analysis of mitochondrial DNA in B olivian llama, alpaca and vicuna populations: a contribution to the phylogeny of the S outh A merican camelids
Author(s) -
Barreta J.,
GutiérrezGil B.,
Iñiguez V.,
Saavedra V.,
Chiri R.,
Latorre E.,
Arranz J. J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
animal genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2052
pISSN - 0268-9146
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2012.02376.x
Subject(s) - biology , mitochondrial dna , clade , phylogenetic tree , genetic diversity , zoology , domestication , monophyly , population , evolutionary biology , d loop , phylogenetics , genetics , gene , demography , sociology
Summary The objectives of this work were to assess the mt DNA diversity of B olivian S outh A merican camelid ( SAC ) populations and to shed light on the evolutionary relationships between the B olivian camelids and other populations of SAC s. We have analysed two different mt DNA regions: the complete coding region of the MT ‐ CYB gene and 513 bp of the D ‐loop region. The populations sampled included B olivian llamas, alpacas and vicunas, and C hilean guanacos. High levels of genetic diversity were observed in the studied populations. In general, MT ‐ CYB was more variable than D ‐loop. On a species level, the vicunas showed the lowest genetic variability, followed by the guanacos, alpacas and llamas. Phylogenetic analyses performed by including additional available mt DNA sequences from the studied species confirmed the existence of the two monophyletic clades previously described by other authors for guanacos ( G ) and vicunas ( V ). Significant levels of mt DNA hybridization were found in the domestic species. Our sequence analyses revealed significant sequence divergence within clade G , and some of the B olivian llamas grouped with the majority of the southern guanacos. This finding supports the existence of more than the one llama domestication centre in S outh A merica previously suggested on the basis of archaeozoological evidence. Additionally, analysis of D ‐loop sequences revealed two new matrilineal lineages that are distinct from the previously reported G and V clades. The results presented here represent the first report on the population structure and genetic variability of B olivian camelids and may help to elucidate the complex and dynamic domestication process of SAC populations.