Reticulate evolution: frequent introgressive hybridization among Chinese hares (genus lepus) revealed by analyses of multiple mitochondrial and nuclear DNA loci.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Interspecific hybridization may lead to the introgression of genes and genomes across species barriers and contribute to a reticulate evolutionary pattern and thus taxonomic uncertainties. Since several previous studies have demonstrated that introgressive hybridization has occurred among some species within Lepus, therefore it is possible that introgressive hybridization events also occur among Chinese Lepus species and contribute to the current taxonomic confusion.

Results

Data from four mtDNA genes, from 116 individuals, and one nuclear gene, from 119 individuals, provides the first evidence of frequent introgression events via historical and recent interspecific hybridizations among six Chinese Lepus species. Remarkably, the mtDNA of L. mandshuricus was comple

SUBMITTER: Liu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3155923 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature