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mtDNA phylogeny and evolution of laboratory mouse strains
Ana Goios1, Luísa Pereira, Molly Bogue
1Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular da Universidade do Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. aalmeida@ipatimup.pt
Genome Research
|February 8, 2007
Summary
All common inbred mouse strains originate from a single Mus musculus domesticus female ancestor. Their mitochondrial DNA shows a distinct evolutionary path compared to wild mice, with faster substitution rates.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Mammalian Genetics
Background:
- Inbred mouse strains are crucial research models, maintained for over a century.
- Existing genealogies do not fully explore the maternal lineage (phylogeny) of these strains.
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and useful for tracing evolutionary history.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the maternal evolutionary history of common inbred mouse strains.
- To determine the ancestral origins of inbred mouse strains using mitochondrial DNA.
- To compare the mitochondrial evolutionary process of inbred strains with their wild relatives.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences.
- Sequencing of mtDNA from 16 common inbred mouse strains.
- Comparative analysis of mtDNA evolutionary rates and substitution patterns.
Main Results:
- All 16 common inbred mouse strains analyzed share a single female wild ancestor: Mus musculus domesticus.
- Inbred mouse strains exhibit a distinct mitochondrial evolutionary trajectory compared to wild populations.
- A faster accumulation of replacement substitutions was observed in the mtDNA of inbred strains.
Conclusions:
- The maternal lineage of common inbred mouse strains is traceable to a single ancestral female.
- Inbred mouse strains have undergone a unique mitochondrial evolutionary process, differing from wild Mus musculus domesticus.
- These findings provide critical context for the Mouse Phenome Project and future genomic studies.
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