93 research outputs found
Genetic diversity of the Macaronesian leafy liverwort Porella canariensis inferred from RAPD markers
Plant colonization of the North Atlantic raises the intriguing question of the relationships between extant island species with their continental counterparts (European, African, and American), which may provide clues to past geographic distribution and colonization history. It has been suggested that during past glaciations, many plant species with typical Mediterranean distributions survived in the Atlantic islands that belong to what is today known as Macronesia. We used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to study 12 populations of the liverwort Porella canariensis partly covering its present-day distribution (Azores, Madeira, Canary and Cape Verde Islands, and Iberian Peninsula). Unweighted pairgroup (UPGMA) and principal component (PCO) analyses showed a similar geographical pattern that suggested a close relationship between Iberian populations and those from the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands. Populations from Madeira had more genetic variation than those from the Azores, a result from either a richer diversity of habitats in Madeira, which prompted more population diversification, successive colonization waves from different origins, or an older colonization of Madeira. The data show that continuous patches of liverworts are often comprised of more than one individual. Finally, RAPDs can be used to investigate intraspecific diversity within a comparatively large geographic area and, with utmost care, can be used to infer a historic context to explain the patterns observed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
African human mtDNA phylogeography at-a-glance
The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic system has long proven to be useful for studying
the demographic history of our species, since their proposed Southeast/East African origin 200 kya. Despite
the weak archaeological and anthropologic records, which render a difficult understanding of early intra continental migrations, the phylogenetic L0-L1’6 split at about 140-160 kya is thought to represent also
an early sub-structuring of small and isolated communities in South and East Africa. Regional variation
accumulated over the following millennia, with L2 and L3 lineages arising in Central and East Africa
100-75 kya. Their sub-Saharan dispersal not later than 60 kya, largely overwhelmed the L0’1 distribution,
nowadays limited to South African Khoisan and Central African Pygmies. Cyclic expansions and retractions of
the equatorial forest between 40 kya and the “Last Glacial Aridity Maximum” were able to reduce the genetic
diversity of modern humans.. Surviving regional-specific lineages have emerged from the Sahelian refuge
areas, repopulating the region and contributing to the overall West African genetic similarity. Particular L1-
L3 lineages mirror the substantial population growth made possible by moister and warmer conditions of the
Sahara’s Wet Phase and the adoption of agriculture and iron smelting techniques. The diffusion of the farming
expertise from a Central African source towards South Africa was mediated by the Bantu people 3 kya. The
strong impact of their gene flow almost erased the pre-existent maternal pool. Non-L mtDNAs testify for
Eurasian lineages that have enriched the African maternal pool at different timeframes: i) Near and Middle
Eastern influences in Upper Palaeolithic, probably link to the spread of Afro-Asiatic languages; ii) particular
lineages from West Eurasia around or after the glacial period; iii) post-glacial mtDNA signatures from the
Franco-Cantabrian refugia, that have crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and iv) Eurasian lineages tracing back
to the Neolithic or more recent historical episodes. Finally, the non-random sub-Saharan spread of North
African lineages was likely mediated by the ancestors of Fulani, nomadic pastoral communities in the Sahel.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Mitochondrial portraits of the Madeira and Açores archipelagos witness different genetic pools of its settlers
We have studied the matrilineal genetic composition of the Madeira and Açores north Atlantic archipelagos, which were settled by the Portuguese in the 15th century. Both archipelagos, and particularly Madeira, were involved in a complex commercial network established by the Portuguese, which included the trading of slaves across the Atlantic. One hundred and fifty-five mtDNAs sampled from the Madeira and 179 from the Açores archipelagos were analysed for the hypervariable segment I (HVS-I), and for haplogroup-diagnostic coding-region RFLPs. The different settlement histories of both groups of islands are well reflected in their present day mtDNA pool. Although both archipelagos show identical diversity values, they are clearly different in their haplogroup content. Madeira displays a stronger sub-Saharan imprint, with haplogroups L1-L3 constituting about 13% of the lineages. Also, the relative frequencies of L sub-clusters in Madeira and mainland Portugal suggests that, at least in part, African presence in Madeira can be attributed to a direct gene flow from West Africa and not via Portugal. A comparison of the genetic composition of these two archipelagos with the Canary Islands, specially taking into account that their European source population was essentially from the Iberian Peninsula, testifies the stronger impact of the North African U6 cluster in the Canaries. This group is present in Madeira at a moderate frequency, but very reduced in the Açores. Nevertheless the recorded introduction of Canary native Guanches, who are characterized by the presence of particular sub-clade U6b1, has left no detectable imprints in the present day population of Madeira.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The phylogeny of nine species of the Drosophila obscura group inferred by the banding homologies of chromosomal regions: 11. Element E
The phylogenetic relationships among nine species of Drosophila belonging to the obscura group were investigated by establishing (according to their banding similarities) the homologous chromosome segments of element E (equivalent to chromosome O of D. subobscura). The phylogenetic relationships were based on the existence of segments in different triads of species, which could only be produced by overlapping inversions. This permitted the ordering of the species belonging to each triad. Drosophila obscura, D. ambigua and D. tristis were found to be very closely related and thus forming a cluster in which D. ambigua occupies an intermediate position between the other two species. Drosophila obscura seems to be the species more directly linked to three other separate lineages, that of D. subsilvestris, the two African species (D. microlabis and D. kitumensis), and the subobscura cluster. The species from this last cluster may be ordered as follows: D. subobscura-D. madeirensis-D. guanche. It is not clear which species of this triad is the direct link to D. obscura. These results completely agree with those produced in an independent study, where element B was considered for the same nine species. Furthermore, the present study clarifies some ambiguities concerning the phylogenetic relationships which remained obscure due to the conservative nature of chromosome B.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The phylogeny of nine species of the Drosophila obscura group inferred by the banding homologies of the chromosomal regions. IV. Element C
Homologies of the sections of the polytene chromosomes of element C, among several species of the obscura group of the genus Drosophila, were established according to the similarity of their banding patterns. The information gathered was used to construct an unrooted phylogenetic tree based on qualitative criteria. This tree is compared to three other similar trees derived from independent information provided by the study of chromosomal elements B, D and E. The general congruence of the patterns of these trees proves the well-foundedness of this approach. A single exception to this congruence is discussed. Finally a consensus tree, encapsulating information from all chromosomal elements, is presented and its topology is compared to those derived from electrophoretic data.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Y-chromosome lineages in São Tomé e Príncipe and Cabo Verde islands: different input of european influence
The Y-chromosome haplogroup composition of the population of Sa˜o Tome´ e Prı´ncipe and Cabo Verde Archipelagos was profiled by using 24
biallelic markers, and compared with populations from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. According to the traditional view, these archipelagos
colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century were settled mainly by West African slaves, with the addition of a minor fraction of male colonizers
from Europe. Although the major proportion of the founding population of Sa˜o Tome´ e Prı´ncipe cluster in haplogroup E3a (84.2%), very common
among sub-Saharans, this lineage was observed at a frequency of only 15.9% in Cabo Verde. Haplogroups I, J and R1, characterized of populations
of Europe and the Middle East account for more than half of the paternal lineages of Cabo Verdeans (53.5%). These West Eurasian haplogroups are
found at a frequency of only 12.5% in the population of Sa˜o Tome´ e Prı´ncipe. Our findings suggest that despite the sub-Saharan genetic background
of these archipelagos, a relevant contribution of European paternal lineages is present in nowadays populations indicating that gene flow from
multiple sources have been important in the formation of the diversity of the islanders, nevertheless with a different degree of admixture.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Phylogenetic relationships of Hemidactylus geckos from the Gulf of Guinea islands: patterns of natural colonizations and anthropogenic introductions estimated from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences
Mitochondrial DNA (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome b) sequences and nuclear sequences (C-mos and alpha-Enolase) were analyzed within all known Hemidactylus species from all three volcanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea that have never been connected to the continent. These comprise both endemic and widespread species. Our aim was to determine if the widespread species was introduced anthropogenically, to determine the number of distinct genetic lineages within the islands, and to determine if the endemic forms constituted a monophyletic group. Our results suggest that a previously undescribed species on São Tomé is the sister taxon to Hemidactylus newtoni, endemic to Annobon. Genetic variation between populations of Hemidactylus greefii from São Tomé and Principe is very high based on mtDNA sequences, but the forms cannot be distinguished using the nuclear DNA sequences. Hemidactylus mabouia appears to have been anthropogenically introduced to all three islands. The island endemics do not form a monophyletic group, suggesting multiple independent colonizations of the islands.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Phylogeography of Mabuya maculilabris (Reptilia) from São Tomé Island (Gulf of Guinea) inferred from mtDNA sequences
The pattern of genetic variation of the lizard Mabuya maculilabris from São Tomé Island (Gulf of Guinea) was investigated using
a combination of three mitochondrial DNA gene fragments. Forty-eight haplotypes were recovered among 66 individuals covering
the whole island. The genealogy inferred from the most parsimonious network of haplotypes allows us to detect two main and long
branches departing from the putative group of oldest haplotypes. The tips of these branches exhibit star-like phylogenies, which may
indicate of recently expanded populations, most probably from a small number of founders. A nested clade analysis suggests a complex pattern of past events that gave rise to the extant geographical pattern found in the haplotype distribution: past and allopatric
fragmentation, range expansion, restricted gene Xow and long-distance dispersal. These results are consistent with the complex geological history of the island where important volcanic activity with extensive lava Xows has occurred during several periods. Mismatch-distribution analysis and AMOVA also support these conclusions. Substantial genetic structuring among these lizards was
detected as well as high levels of diVerentiation between the southern edge populations (particularly those from the Rolas Islet) and
the remaining ones. However, variation is low relative to the geological age of the island. Our results indicate that patterns of variation observed in reptiles in other oceanic islands are not indicative of those observed in the islands of the Gulf of Guinea.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Asthma: snapshot or motion picture?
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Relationships of scincid lizards (Mabuya spp.) from the islands of the Gulf of Guinea based on mtDNA sequence data
Relationships of Mabuya lizards from the islands of the Gulf of Guinea where estimated using partial 12S rRNA,
16S rRNA and cytochrome b mitochondrial gene sequences. Mabuya maculilabris from São Tomé and Principe are discreet
monophyletic units, highly divergent from each other and from mainland populations, indicating M. maculilabris may
be a species complex. Mabuya affinis from Principe is similarly distinct from mainland populations of this species. The
relationships of Mabuya ozorii from Annobon are unclear, but the three species in the Gulf of Guinea islands are not closely
related, indicating multiple independent colonization events. The recent proposal to partition Mabuya into four genera is
premature, since at least five distinct genetic lineages can be identified.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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