Evolution and phylogenetic application of the MC1R gene in the Cobitoidea (Teleostei: Cypriniformes).

ABSTRACT: Fish of the superfamily Cobitoidea sensu stricto (namely loaches) exhibit extremely high diversity of color patterns, but so far little is known about their evolutionary mechanism. Melanocortin 1 receptor gene (MC1R) plays an important role during the synthesis of melanin and formation of animal body color patterns. In this study, we amplified and sequenced the partial MC1R gene for 44 loach individuals representing 31 species of four families. Phylogenetic analyses yielded a topology congruent with previous studies using multiple nuclear loci, showing that each of the four families was monophyletic with sister relationships of Botiidae+ (Cobitidae+(Balitoridae+Nemacheilidae)). Gene evolutionary analyses indicated that MC1R in loaches was under purifying selection pressure, with various si

SUBMITTER: Tang QY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5071341 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature