Extensive intraspecific polymorphism detected by SSCP at the nuclear C-mos gene in the endemic Iberian lizard Lacerta Schreiberi

摘要

C-mosis a highly conserved intronless gene that has proved useful in the analysis ofancient phylogenetic relationships within vertebrates. We selected the Iberian endemicSchreiber’s green lizard (Lacerta schreiberi) that persisted in allopatric refugia since the latePliocene to investigate the utility of the Cmosnuclear gene for intraspecific phylogeographicstudies. Our combination of DNA sequencing with the high resolving power ofsingle-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) effectively discriminated four commonalleles showing strong population structuring (FST = 0.46). In addition, reconstructionof allele phylogenetic relationships further improved our understanding of Cmosspatialpatterns of variation and allowed a comparison with previously described mitochondrialDNA data. Finally, limited sequencing of an extended Cmosfragment in six additionalLacertaspecies showed extensive polymorphism, to our knowledge representing a rareexample of variation in a highly conserved nuclear gene.