ISSN:
1432-1432
Keywords:
Mitochondrial DNA
;
Molecular phylogeny
;
mtDNA relationships
;
Pinnipedia
;
Seals
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The sequence of the mtDNA of the grey seal, Halichoerus grypus, was determined. The length of the molecule was 16,797 base pairs. The organization of the molecule conformed with that of other eutherian mammals but the control region was unusually long due to the presence of two types of repeated motifs. The grey seal and the previously reported harbor seal, Phoca vitulina, belong to different but closely related genera of family Phocidae, true (or earless) seals. In order to determine the degree of differences that may occur between mtDNAs of closely related mammalian genera, the 2 rRNA genes, the 13 peptide coding genes, and the 22 tRNA genes of the 2 species were compared. Total nucleotide difference in the peptide coding genes was 2.0–6.1%. The range of conservative difference was 0.0–1.5%. In the inferred peptide sequences the amino acid difference was 0.0–4.5%, and the difference with respect to chemical properties of amino acids was 0.0–3.0%. A gene that showed a limited degree of difference in one mode of comparison did not necessarily show a corresponding limited difference in another mode. The ratio for differences in codon positions 1, 2, and 3 was ≈2.7:1:16. The corresponding ratio for conservative differences was ≈ 1.8:1. l:1. The evolutionary separation of the two species was calculated to have taken place 2–2.5 million years ago. This dating gives the figure ≈8 × 10−9 as the mean rate of substitution per site and year in the entire mtDNA molecule. Comparison with the cytochrome b gene of the Hawaiian monk seal and the Weddell seal suggested that the lineage of these two species and that of the grey and harbor seals separated ≈8 million years ago.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00178862
