title: Distinct genetic characteristics of Sri Lankan Rattus and Bandicota (Murinae, Rodentia) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear markers.
abstract: We examined genetic variation in black rats (the Rattus rattus complex) from Kandy District, Sri Lanka using mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb, 1140 bp) and nuclear melanocortin 1 receptor (Mc1r, 954 bp) gene sequences together with database sequences. We confirmed the existence of two divergent mitochondrial lineages in Sri Lankan black rats, with genetic distance of 2.2% and estimated divergence time of 0.3 million years ago. Because one lineage is unique to the island and the other is closely related to R. rattus populations on the Indian subcontinent, two migration events of R. rattus from the subcontinent are inferred, one ancient and one recent. Mc1r analyses revealed 12 haplotypes among the Sri Lankan black rats. A median-joining network together with other available sequences separated the 12 haplotypes into two groups, one unique to the island and the other related to previously reported R. rattus sequences. Notably, most individuals possessed various combinations of both haplotype groups which had no association with the cytb clades. These results imply that old and new R. rattus lineages are now intermingled as a result of hybridization in Sri Lanka. Specimens of the lesser bandicoot rat (Bandicota bengalensis) collected from Sri Lanka (n = 24) were shown to have no genetic variability in the cytb sequence. Our results indicate that the two most abundant groups of commensal rats in Sri Lanka, black rats and lesser bandicoot rats, are the product of contrasting evolutionary histories on different timescales.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Shumpei P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Chandika D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gamage
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Sanae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isozumi
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koma
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Amada
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arikawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics*; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005819:Genetic Markers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D051189:Murinae / Q000235:genetics*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D051381:Rats / Q000235:genetics*; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013188:Sri Lanka
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005819:Genetic Markers; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1; D045303:Cytochromes b