Characterization of the satellite DNA Msat-160 from the species Chionomys nivalis (Rodentia, Arvicolinae).
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.
Acosta
M J
MJ
Departamento de Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, Jaén, Spain.
Marchal
J A
JA
Martínez
S
S
Puerma
E
E
Bullejos
M
M
la de Guardia
R Díaz
RD
Sánchez
A
A
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
D004276:DNA, Satellite