Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of hybridization in generating diversity in animals is an active area of discovery and debate. We assess hybridization across a contact zone of northern (<it>Myodes rutilus</it>) and southern (<it>M. gapper...

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Main Authors: Cook Joseph A, Matocq Marjorie D, Runck Amy M
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-05-01
Series:BMC Evolutionary Biology
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/9/114
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spelling doaj-edfe78a84b9945979b2933f55874589b2021-09-02T09:37:27ZengBMCBMC Evolutionary Biology1471-21482009-05-019111410.1186/1471-2148-9-114Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)Cook Joseph AMatocq Marjorie DRunck Amy M<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of hybridization in generating diversity in animals is an active area of discovery and debate. We assess hybridization across a contact zone of northern (<it>Myodes rutilus</it>) and southern (<it>M. gapperi</it>) red-backed voles using variation in skeletal features and both mitochondrial and nuclear loci. This transect extends approximately 550 km along the North Pacific Coast of North America and encompasses 26 populations (n = 485). We establish the history, geographic extent and directionality of hybridization, determine whether hybridization is ongoing, and assess the evolutionary stability of novel genomic combinations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Identification of <it>M. rutilus </it>and <it>M. gapperi </it>based on the degree of closure of the post-palatal bridge was concordant with the distribution of diagnostic nuclear MYH6 alleles; however, an 80 km zone of introgressed populations was identified. The introgressant form is characterized by having mitochondrial haplotypes closely related to the northern <it>M. rutilus </it>on a nuclear background and morphological characteristics of southern <it>M. gapperi</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Introgression appears to have been historic as pure populations of <it>M. rutilus </it>are now isolated to the north from introgressants or pure <it>M. gapperi </it>by the LeConte Glacier. As we do not find pure <it>M. rutilus </it>or <it>M. gapperi </it>individuals throughout the distribution of the introgressant form, it appears that the introgressants are a self-sustaining entity not requiring continued hybridization between pure parental forms to generate this novel combination of characters.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/9/114
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Cook Joseph A
Matocq Marjorie D
Runck Amy M
spellingShingle Cook Joseph A
Matocq Marjorie D
Runck Amy M
Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)
BMC Evolutionary Biology
author_facet Cook Joseph A
Matocq Marjorie D
Runck Amy M
author_sort Cook Joseph A
title Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)
title_short Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)
title_full Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)
title_fullStr Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)
title_full_unstemmed Historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus Myodes)
title_sort historic hybridization and persistence of a novel mito-nuclear combination in red-backed voles (genus myodes)
publisher BMC
series BMC Evolutionary Biology
issn 1471-2148
publishDate 2009-05-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of hybridization in generating diversity in animals is an active area of discovery and debate. We assess hybridization across a contact zone of northern (<it>Myodes rutilus</it>) and southern (<it>M. gapperi</it>) red-backed voles using variation in skeletal features and both mitochondrial and nuclear loci. This transect extends approximately 550 km along the North Pacific Coast of North America and encompasses 26 populations (n = 485). We establish the history, geographic extent and directionality of hybridization, determine whether hybridization is ongoing, and assess the evolutionary stability of novel genomic combinations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Identification of <it>M. rutilus </it>and <it>M. gapperi </it>based on the degree of closure of the post-palatal bridge was concordant with the distribution of diagnostic nuclear MYH6 alleles; however, an 80 km zone of introgressed populations was identified. The introgressant form is characterized by having mitochondrial haplotypes closely related to the northern <it>M. rutilus </it>on a nuclear background and morphological characteristics of southern <it>M. gapperi</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Introgression appears to have been historic as pure populations of <it>M. rutilus </it>are now isolated to the north from introgressants or pure <it>M. gapperi </it>by the LeConte Glacier. As we do not find pure <it>M. rutilus </it>or <it>M. gapperi </it>individuals throughout the distribution of the introgressant form, it appears that the introgressants are a self-sustaining entity not requiring continued hybridization between pure parental forms to generate this novel combination of characters.</p>
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/9/114
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