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Cytochrome b (Cyt-b) gene sequence analysis in six flatfish species (Teleostei, Pleuronectidae), with phylogenetic and taxonomic insights

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Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) at Cyt-b gene region was sequenced for six flatfish species (in total nine sequences of at least 1,117 bp) from the Far East of Russia and compared with other sequences of Pleuronectiformes comprising altogether 34 species and 3 outgroup species (Perciformes). Analysis of the protein-coding Cyt-b gene revealed a statistically substantiated bias in (T + C):(A + G) content, supporting earlier findings. Values of P-distances, as summarized for different scales of the evolutionary history at Cyt-b gene, revealed a clear pattern of increased nucleotide diversity at four different phylogenetic levels: (1) intraspecies, (2) intragenus, (3) intrafamily, and (4) intraorder. Scores of average P-distances of the four categories of comparison in flatfishes were (1) 0.46 ± 0.19%, (2) 11.74 ± 2.26%, (3) 17.51 ± 3.13%, and (4) 25.60 ± 0.42%, respectively (mean ± SE). These data support the concept that speciation in the order Pleuronectiformes, in most cases, follows a geographic mode through the accumulation of numerous small genetic changes over a long period of time. A phylogenetic tree for 64 sequences of flatfishes and 3 other fishes belonging to ray-finned fishes (Actinopterigii) was developed using Cyt-b gene and four different analytical approaches: neighbour-joining (NJ), Bayesian (BA), maximum parsimony (MP), and maximum likelihood (ML). The analysis revealed a monophyletic origin for the representatives of Pleuronectidae, which is the principal flatfish family investigated (99% repetition level in our BA analysis). A well supported property of the phylogenetic tree was the monophyletic placement of all the five flatfish families and the order Pleuronectiformes among other representatives of ray-finned fishes of the class Actinopterigii. Species identification on per individual basis (barcoding tagging) was generally high. However, there were taxonomic complications that arose during analysis, and they are discussed. Major outcomes of this discussion are the necessity of synonymy acceptance for Hippoglossoides elassodon, and H. robustus, and for Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae and P. schrenki. Priority considerations suggest H. elassodon and P. yokohamae as valid species names.

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Abbreviations

Cyt-b :

Cytochrome b

Co-1 :

Cytochrome oxidase 1

mtDNA:

Mitochondrial DNA

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

bp:

Base pairs

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Acknowledgements

We are very thankful for proofreading of the manuscript and useful comments to Dr. B. Ward, Dr. H. Dams and Mrs. I.A. Barsegova. This work was supported by a grant of Eco-Technopia 21 (Grant No. 052-051-034) funded to Jae-Seong Lee. Dr. Yuri Kartavtsev was a brain pool fellow (051-4-15) nominated by the Korea Foundation of Science and Technology, Brain Pool Program. This work was also supported in part by FEB RAS grant # 06-III-B-06-186, # 07-III-B-06-035, US CRDF grant # RUXO-003-VL-06 and RFFI grant # 07-04-00186-a.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Environmental Bioscience, Graduate School, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea

    Y. P. Kartavtsev

  2. Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, South Korea

    T.-J. Park & J.-S. Lee

  3. A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Vladivostok, 690041, Russia

    Y. P. Kartavtsev & S. N. Sharina

  4. Far Eastern State University, Vladivostok, 690095, Russia

    K. A. Vinnikov & V. N. Ivankov

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  1. Y. P. Kartavtsev
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  2. T.-J. Park
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  3. K. A. Vinnikov
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  4. V. N. Ivankov
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Correspondence to Y. P. Kartavtsev.

Additional information

Communicated by O. Kinne.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 Nucleotide diversity measured as P distances for the Cyt-b gene 67 sequences among flatfish and 3 outgroup species
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Kartavtsev, Y.P., Park, TJ., Vinnikov, K.A. et al. Cytochrome b (Cyt-b) gene sequence analysis in six flatfish species (Teleostei, Pleuronectidae), with phylogenetic and taxonomic insights. Mar Biol 152, 757–773 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-007-0726-9

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