Variability of the mc1r Gene in Melanic and Non-Melanic Podarcis lilfordi and Podarcis pityusensis from the Balearic Archipelago
نویسندگان
چکیده
The association between polymorphism at the mc1r locus and colour variation was studied in two wall lizard species (Podarcis lilfordi and P. pityusensis) from the Balearic archipelago. Podarcis lilfordi comprises several deep mitochondrial lineages, the oldest of which originated in the Pliocene, while much shallower mitochondrial lineages are found in P. pityusensis. Here, we examined whether specific substitutions were associated with the melanic colouration found in islet populations of these species. Homologous nuclear sequences covering most of the mc1r gene were obtained from 73 individuals from melanic and non-melanic Podarcis from different populations (the entire gene was also sequenced in six selected individuals). MtDNA gene trees were also constructed and used as a framework to assess mc1r diversity. Mc1r showed greater polymorphism in P. lilfordi than in P. pityusensis. However, we observed no substitutions that were common to all melanic individuals across the two species. Only one significant association was detected in the mc1r partial sequence, but this was a synonymous A/G mutation with A alleles being more abundant in melanic populations. In addition, there were no associations between the main dominant phenotypes (green and brown, blue and yellow spots and ventral colour) and synonymous or non-synonymous substitutions in the mc1r gene. There was no statistical evidence of selection on mc1r. This study suggests no relationship between mc1r polymorphism and colour variation in Balearic Podarcis.
منابع مشابه
Molecular survey of Apicomplexa in Podarcis wall lizards detects Hepatozoon, Sarcocystis, and Eimeria species.
The occurrence of apicomplexan parasites in Podarcis sp. wall lizards from the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic islands was studied by amplification and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. Species from 3 genera, Hepatozoon , Sarcocystis , and Eimeria , were found. The phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene provides unexpected insights into the evolutionary history of these parasites. All Hepatoz...
متن کاملGastrointestinal Parasites in Saurians from Some Central Mediterranean Islands
s of the 13th Ordinary General Meeting of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica. Bonn, Germany, 27 September-2 October 2005. Luiselli, L., Capula, M., Corti, C., Lo Cascio, P. & PérezMellado, V. 2004. Preliminary data on the feeding ecology of Podarcis raffonei (Reptilia, Lacertidae), a threatened endemic lizard of the Aeolian Islands (Mediterranean Sea). 223-229. In: Pérez-Mellado, V., Riera, N....
متن کاملMelanism and the melanocortin-1 receptor in three species of sciuridae
Sequence variations in the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene are associated with melanism in many different species of mammals, birds and reptiles. The grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), found in the British Isles, was introduced from North America in the late nineteenth century. Melanism in the British grey squirrel is associated with a 24 base pair deletion in the MC1R. To investigate th...
متن کاملFrom tameness to wariness: chemical recognition of snake predators by lizards in a Mediterranean island
Antipredatory defenses are maintained when benefit exceeds cost. A weak predation pressure may lead insular lizards to tameness. Podarcis lilfordi exhibits a high degree of insular tameness, which may explain its extinction from the main island of Menorca when humans introduced predators. There are three species of lizards in Menorca: the native P. lilfordi, only on the surrounding islets, and ...
متن کاملMelanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene sequence variation and melanism in the gray (Sciurus carolinensis), fox (Sciurus niger), and red (Sciurus vulgaris) squirrel.
Sequence variations in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene are associated with melanism in many different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles. The gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), found in the British Isles, was introduced from North America in the late 19th century. Melanism in the British gray squirrel is associated with a 24-bp deletion in the MC1R. To investigate the origin of ...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
دوره 8 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2013