Satellite DNA as a phylogenetic marker: Case study of three genera of the murine subfamily

Abstract

Satellite DNA (satDNA) represent tens percent of any of the vertebrate genome. Still, a complete set of sat-DNA fragments is not determined for either species. It is known that some genus with species-specific modifications possess a satDNA characteristic for the genus. So, satDNA was used as a phylogenetic marker in some cases when precise satDNA fragment was cloned. We used the probe of the whole pericentromeric region and 4 cloned satDNA fragments of Mus musculus in order to consider probes value for phylogenesis of 3 Murinae genera. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed similar pattern on metaphase spreads inside genus Mus, though some difference was noted. None of the satDNA fragment gave signal in the centromeric region on chromosomes from genera Sylvaemus and Apodemus. These data are in agreement with those on satDNA fragments in the genome determined by dot-blot hybridization: M musculus satDNA fragments are absent in the genomes of both remote genera while they are present in the genomes of the genera Mus, though in different amounts. SatDNA of each genera should be cloned for the phylogenetic purposes.