Gene Exchange in Hybridization Regions between House Mouse Complex Subspecies (M. m. castaneus and M. m. domesticus) using Mitochondrial Genome of D-loop Region (mtDNA)

Abstract

Abstract Genomic aspects of animal’s hybrid zone are studding in the recent decade. Introgression of gene in the evolution process is a very challenging issue among scientists. Gene flow reduction is probably a consequence of the speciation genes involvement. In this study, the influence of different geographical factors on gene introgression in hybrid index (genomic cline) was analyzed. We investigated 127 D-Loop sequences containing 140 independent loci for analysis: 82 sequences from M. m. castaneus and 45 sequences from M. m. domesticus. Results of the Introgress and Barrier programs showed gene invasion of M. m. domesticus subspecies in genomic background of M. m. castaneus subspecies. So, M. m. domesticus subspecies acts as an invasive subspecies and M. m. castaneus as a genome receptor. Also, our results showed that environmental elements such as mounts, lakes and salt marsh play the role of the barrier between the two subspecies in the studied regions. The results of the genomic cline represent the asymmetric genomic influence

Keywords

• m. m. domesticus
• m. m. castaneus
• hybridization index
• genomic cline
• d-loop