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Conservation of polymorphic simple sequence loci in cetacean species
C Schlötterer1, B Amos, D Tautz
1Institut für Genetik und Mikrobiologie, Universität München, Germany.
Nature
|November 7, 1991
Summary
Simple-sequence length polymorphisms (SSLP) primers developed for pilot whales successfully amplified DNA in diverse whale species. This high conservation of non-coding DNA sequences simplifies genetic studies across cetaceans.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Marine Mammal Science
Background:
- Simple-sequence length polymorphisms (SSLP) are common in eukaryotic DNA and valuable for population genetics.
- SSLP in pilot whales (Globicephala melas) have previously yielded insights into their mating systems and population structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cross-species applicability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers designed for pilot whale SSLP.
- To assess the conservation of flanking sequences in simple-sequence loci across diverse cetacean species.
Main Methods:
- Utilized PCR primers developed for Globicephala melas to amplify homologous loci in various whale species.
- Cloned and sequenced amplified loci from 11 different whale species (both toothed and baleen whales).
Main Results:
- Homologous loci were successfully amplified across a wide range of toothed (Odontoceti) and baleen (Mysticeti) whales.
- Sequences flanking the simple-sequence stretches exhibited exceptionally high conservation, with an average divergence of only 3.2% over an estimated 35-40 million years.
- This low divergence rate suggests potential for re-evaluating the evolutionary age of modern whale species.
Conclusions:
- PCR primers designed for SSLP in one cetacean species are broadly applicable to other whale species due to conserved flanking sequences.
- This high conservation facilitates the use of SSLP DNA fingerprinting for genetic analysis across a diverse range of cetaceans.
- The findings highlight a remarkably low divergence rate in non-coding DNA among whale species, prompting further evolutionary research.
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