title: Characterization of the satellite DNA Msat-160 from the species Chionomys nivalis (Rodentia, Arvicolinae).
abstract: The satellite DNA Msat-160 has been previously characterized in several species of the genus Microtus. Here we present the characterization of Msat-160 from Chionomys nivalis, a species with a very primitive karyotype. As in other Microtus species analyzed, C. nivalis Msat-160 is AT rich, has a monomer length of 160 bp, is undermethylated and is mainly located in all the pericentromeric heterochromatin of all autosomes and the X chromosome, but is completely absent from the Y chromosome. Hence, our results support the hypothesis that Msat-160 was initially distributed in the pericentromeric heterochromatin of all autosomes and the X chromosome. The taxonomic status of the genus Chionomys in relation to the genus Microtus is a very interesting issue, so we constructed phylogenetic dendrograms using Msat-160 sequences from several Microtus species. Although the results were not informative about this issue, the presence of Msat-160 in C. nivalis and Microtus species suggested that both genera are closely related and that this satellite DNA was present in the common ancestor. Studies of Msat-160 in different arvicoline species could help to determine the origin of this satellite and, perhaps, to establish the phylogenetic relationships of some arvicoline groups.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puerma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bullejos
authors.forename: R Díaz
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: la de Guardia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004276:DNA, Satellite / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004276:DNA, Satellite