C-mos, a nuclear marker useful for squamate phylogenetic analysis

Area of Science:

• Molecular Systematics
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Traditional phylogenetic reconstruction heavily relies on mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal RNA gene sequences.
• A limited number of nuclear genes are available for robust phylogenetic testing.
• The c-mos oncogene, a single-copy nuclear gene, emerges as a promising candidate nuclear marker.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of c-mos gene sequences for phylogenetic analysis within squamate reptiles.
• To assess the phylogenetic information content of both synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions in c-mos.

Main Methods:

• Partial c-mos gene sequences were obtained from 13 squamate reptile families.
• Outgroup representatives from Rhynchocephalia, Chelonia, and Crocodylia were included.
• Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the generated c-mos sequence data.

Main Results:

• The c-mos sequences demonstrated a high degree of phylogenetic information, effective for both synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions.
• Phylogenetic resolution was achieved at both deep and shallow divergence levels within the studied groups.
• However, relationships among the major squamate lineages were not fully resolved, potentially due to rapid cladogenesis.

Conclusions:

• The c-mos gene is a valuable nuclear marker for phylogenetic studies in squamate reptiles.
• It provides significant phylogenetic signal across various divergence levels.
• Further research may be needed to resolve deeper squamate relationships, possibly incorporating additional markers or methods.