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Monica Santamaria, Cecilia Lanave, Saverio Vicario, Cecilia Saccone

Variability of the mitochondrial genome in mammals at the inter- and intraspecies boundary

Keywords: barcode, biodiversity, genetic distances, molecular marker, mtDNA, site variability

Genomic variations represent the molecular basis of the biodiversity of living organisms on which the selection operates to generate evolution. In Eukaryotes the genomic variability can be experienced in both nuclear and organellar, mitochondrial and plastidial (where present), genomes which can follow completely different evolution pathways as revealed by Comparative Genomics analyses. In Metazoa, where a substantial number of complete genome sequences, nuclear but mainly mitochondrial, is available, we are just starting to grasp the selective pressures operating on some basic features of the genome as a whole. In this report, we discuss the variability of the mitochondrial metazoan genome, with particular reference to the mitochondrial DNA in mammals. In the light of the recent assumption that a small segment of mitochondrial DNA may be used, particularly in Metazoa, as a marker of species, some data on mitochondrial genes variability at inter- intra- species boundary will be reported. The intraspecies variability has been evaluated in four mammalian species, Homo sapiens, Bos taurus, Sus scrofa and Canis familiaris, whereas the relationship between intra- and inter- species variability has been investigated in Bos taurus and Bos indicus.

Biological Chemistry, Walter de Gruyter

Print ISSN: 1431-6730
Volume: 2007
Pages: -

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