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On shortcomings of using mtDNA sequence divergence for the systematics of hares (genus Lepus): An example from cape hares

Zur Aussagekraft der Divergenz mitochondrialer DNA-Sequenzen für die Systematik der Hasen (Genus Lepus): ein Beispiel aus dem Bereich der Kaphasen (L. capensis)

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Abstract

Despite the well-known fact that evolutionary patterns of single genes or sequences are not necessarily paralleled by organismic evolution, using mitochondrial sequence divergence for inferring phylogenetic relationships among hare species is not uncommon. Earlier studies reported interspecific introgression in the genus Lepus that may slur systematic conclusions drawn exclusively from mtDNA data. We examined pairwise divergence in partial mtHV-1 sequences and nuclear gene pools based on microsatellite and allozyme loci separately in a South and North African population of cape hares, Lepus capensis, and did not find significant correspondence on the individual level within either population. Also, the former population had a significantly higher level of mtHV-1 sequence divergence compared to the latter, but levels of individual nuclear gene pool divergence did not differ significantly between the two populations. Hence, the absence of correspondence between mtHV-1 sequence divergence and nuclear gene pool divergence among individuals within a population might be independent of the population-specific level of differentiation among individuals. Our results complement earlier findings in hares, and strongly recommend to include nuclear gene pool evidence for systematic inferences within this genus, even under the absence of mitochondrial introgression.

Zusammenfassung

Ungeachtet der schon lange bestehenden Kenntnis, dass Divergenzen mitochondrialer (mt) Sequenzen (HV-1) nicht notwendigerweise mit entsprechenden Divergenzen im Kerngenom einhergehen, wurden in jüngster Zeit immer wieder ausschließlich mtDNA-Daten für die Rekonstruktion stammesgeschichtlicher Zusammenhänge im Genus Lepus herangezogen. Dabei kann insbesondere interspezifische Introgression der mtDNA im Genus Lepus zu irreführenden phylogenetischen Schlussfolgerungen führen. Gegenwärtig zeigen wir am Beispiel zweier Kaphasenpopulationen aus Nord- und Südafrika, dass innerhalb jeder Population die individuellen mtDNA-Sequenzunterschiede nicht den jeweiligen Kerngenom-Unterschieden entsprechen. Letztere wurden anhand von sieben Enzymloci und elf Mikrosatellitenloci ermittelt. Ausserdem zeigte die südafrikanische Population ein signifikant höheres Niveau an individuellen mtDNA-Sequenzunterschieden gegenüber der nordafrikanischen Population; ein entsprechender Unterschied im Kerngenom ließ sich allerdings nicht erkennen. Auf molekularer Ebene müssen im Genus Lepus für phylogenetische Schlussfolgerungen unbedingt Kerngenomdaten mitberücksichtigt werden; auch dann, wenn interspezifische Introgression keine Rolle spielt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Immunologie et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire El Manar, 2029, Tunis, Tunisia

    H. Ben Slimen & A. Ben Ammar Elgaaied

  2. Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1, A-1160, Vienna, Austria

    F. Suchentrunk

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  1. H. Ben Slimen
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  3. A. Ben Ammar Elgaaied
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Ben Slimen, H., Suchentrunk, F. & Ben Ammar Elgaaied, A. On shortcomings of using mtDNA sequence divergence for the systematics of hares (genus Lepus): An example from cape hares. Mamm Biol 73, 25–32 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2007.02.003

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