title: Phylogenetic distribution in the genus Mus of t-complex-specific DNA and protein markers: inferences on the origin of t-haplotypes.
abstract: We have examined the phylogenetic distribution of two t-specific markers among representatives of various taxa belonging to the genus Mus. The centromeric TCP-1a marker (a testicular protein variant specific for all t-haplotypes so far studied) has also been apparently detected in several non-t representatives of the Mus IVA, Mus IVB, and probably M. cervicolor species. By contrast, a t-specific restriction-fragment-length polymorphism allele (RFLP) of the telomeric alpha-globin pseudogene DNA marker alpha-psi-4 was found only in animals belonging to the M. musculus-complex species either bearing genuine t-haplotypes or, like the M. m. bactrianus specimen studied here, likely to do so. This t-specific alpha-psi-4 RFLP allele was found to be as divergent from the RFLP alleles of the latter, non-t, taxonomical groups as it is from Mus 4A, Mus 4B, or M. spretus ones. These results suggest the presence of t-haplotypes and of t-specific markers in populations other than those belonging to the M. m. domesticus and M. m. musculus subspecies, implying a possible origin for t-haplotypes prior to the radiation of the most recent offshoot of the Mus genus (i.e., the spretus/domesticus divergence), some 1-3 Myr ago.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009115:Muridae / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011544:Pseudogenes; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013045:Species Specificity; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D056427:t-Complex Genome Region
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D005914:Globins; C116196:PPP1R11 protein, human; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases