TSitologiya i Genetika 2023, vol. 57, no. 3, 10-18
Cytology and Genetics 2023, vol. 57, no. 3, 213–220, doi: https://www.doi.org/10.3103/S0095452723030076

Genetic divergence and evolutionary transition/transversion rate bias in control region of mitochondrial DNA of palearctic mice (Murinae)

Mezhzherin S.V., Tereshchenko V.O.

  • I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, NAS of Ukraine, B. Khmel’nytskogo, 15, Kyiv, 01030, Ukraine

SUMMARY. Genetic divergence and evolutionary bias of transitions and transversions ratio were analyzed based on examples of 61 sequences of the mtDNA control region of 27 species of mice (Murinae) of the Palearctic region. Representatives of Cricetinae and Arvicolinae were taken as control samples. The constructed phenogram corresponds to the accepted phylogenetic scheme and
is clustered according to population, subspecies, allospecies, species, genus and family levels of divergence. In the phyletic order, there is a clearly defined evolutionary shift in the ratio of transitions and transversions (evolutionary transition:transversion rate bias). Its distinction is an extremely abrupt transition from dynamic to stable phase. The dynamic phase is a rapid decrease in the ts/tv ratio and refers to the population and semi-species levels of divergence. The stable phase refers to species levels of divergence and higher levels of divergence and is connected to the attainment of a state of genetic saturation, moreover in a situation of a predominance of transversions. The extreme expressivnes of the evo-lutionary bias in this case can be explained by the removal of the pressure on the selection caused by restrictions in amino acid substitutions. This means that the causes of transition/transversion bias are purely DNA level biochemical mechanisms. Simultaneously, the stability of the ts/tv ratio at species and higher levels of organization amidst the further accumulation of total number of nucleotide substitutions indicates a fundamentally different nature of genetic processes at the intraspecies and interspecies levels of divergence.

Keywords: Muridae, D-loop, phylogeny, transition-transversion bias

TSitologiya i Genetika
2023, vol. 57, no. 3, 10-18

Current Issue
Cytology and Genetics
2023, vol. 57, no. 3, 213–220,
doi: 10.3103/S0095452723030076

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