CHD genes: a reliable marker for bird populations and phylogenetic analysis?Case study of the superfamily Sylvioidea (Aves: Passeriformes)

Abstract

The chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein (CHD) genes are widely used markers for sex determination in birds and provide a rapid and low-cost method with applicability to a large number of taxa. A good phylogenetic marker displays highly conserved domains and a slow evolution rate, proprieties that CHD genes seem to have. This gives rise to the following question: is the CHD gene a reliable marker for phylogenetic and bird population analysis? The aim of this study is to investigate whether the CHD gene is a reliable tool for molecular phylogeny and for population analysis within the superfamily Sylvioidea. Our results reveal that CHD genes are good markers for these two analyses, even better than myoglobin.