TY - JOUR A1 - Kehlmaier, Christian A1 - Barlow, Axel A1 - Hastings, Alexander K. A1 - Vamberger, Melita A1 - Paijmans, Johanna L. A. A1 - Steadman, David W. A1 - Albury, Nancy A. A1 - Franz, Richard A1 - Hofreiter, Michael A1 - Fritz, Uwe T1 - Tropical ancient DNA reveals relationships of the extinct bahamian giant tortoise Chelonoidis alburyorum JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society of London : Series B, Biological sciences N2 - Ancient DNA of extinct species from the Pleistocene and Holocene has provided valuable evolutionary insights. However, these are largely restricted to mammals and high latitudes because DNA preservation in warm climates is typically poor. In the tropics and subtropics, non-avian reptiles constitute a significant part of the fauna and little is known about the genetics of the many extinct reptiles from tropical islands. We have reconstructed the near-complete mitochondrial genome of an extinct giant tortoise from the Bahamas (Chelonoidis alburyorum) using an approximately 1000-year-old humerus from a water-filled sinkhole (blue hole) on Great Abaco Island. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses place this extinct species as closely related to Galapagos (C. niger complex) and Chaco tortoises (C. chilensis), and provide evidence for repeated overseas dispersal in this tortoise group. The ancestors of extant Chelonoidis species arrived in South America from Africa only after the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and dispersed from there to the Caribbean and the Galapagos Islands. Our results also suggest that the anoxic, thermally buffered environment of blue holes may enhance DNA preservation, and thus are opening a window for better understanding evolution and population history of extinct tropical species, which would likely still exist without human impact. KW - Bahamas KW - biogeography KW - extinction KW - palaeontology KW - phylogeny Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2235 SN - 0962-8452 SN - 1471-2954 VL - 284 PB - The Royal Society CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dolotovskaya, Sofya A1 - Bordallo, Juan Torroba A1 - Haus, Tanja A1 - Noll, Angela A1 - Hofreiter, Michael A1 - Zinner, Dietmar A1 - Roos, Christian T1 - Comparing mitogenomic timetrees for two African savannah primate genera (Chlorocebus and Papio) JF - Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society N2 - Complete mitochondrial (mtDNA) genomes have proved to be useful in reconstructing primate phylogenies with higher resolution and confidence compared to reconstructions based on partial mtDNA sequences. Here, we analyse complete mtDNA genomes of African green monkeys (genus Chlorocebus), a widely distributed primate genus in Africa representing an interesting phylogeographical model for the evolution of savannah species. Previous studies on partial mtDNA sequences revealed nine major clades, suggesting several cases of para- and polyphyly among Chlorocebus species. However, in these studies, phylogenetic relationships among several clades were not resolved, and divergence times were not estimated. We analysed complete mtDNA genomes for ten Chlorocebus samples representing major mtDNA clades to find stronger statistical support in the phylogenetic reconstruction than in the previous studies and to estimate divergence times. Our results confirmed para- and polyphyletic relationships of most Chlorocebus species, while the support for the phylogenetic relationships between the mtDNA clades increased compared to the previous studies. Our results indicate an initial west-east division in the northern part of the Chlorocebus range with subsequent divergence into north-eastern and southern clades. This phylogeographic scenario contrasts with that for another widespread African savannah primate genus, the baboons (Papio), for which a dispersal from southern Africa into East and West Africa was suggested. KW - African green monkeys KW - baboons KW - mitochondrial genomes KW - phylogeny KW - phylogeography Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx001 SN - 0024-4082 SN - 1096-3642 VL - 181 IS - 2 SP - 471 EP - 483 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Chen, Shun-Gang A1 - Li, Ji A1 - Zhang, Fan A1 - Xiao, Bo A1 - Hu, Jia-Ming A1 - Cui, Yin-Qiu A1 - Hofreiter, Michael A1 - Hou, Xin-Dong A1 - Sheng, Gui-Lian A1 - Lai, Xu-Long A1 - Yuan, Jun-Xia T1 - Different maternal lineages revealed by ancient mitochondrial genome of Camelus bactrianus from China JF - Mitochondrial DNA Part A N2 - Domestic Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) used to be one of the most important livestock species in Chinese history, as well as the major transport carrier on the ancient Silk Road. However, archeological studies on Chinese C. bactrianus are still limited, and molecular biology research on this species is mainly focused on modern specimens. In this study, we retrieved the complete mitochondrial genome from a C. bactrianus specimen, which was excavated from northwestern China and dated at 1290-1180 cal. Phylogenetic analyses using 18 mitochondrial genomes indicated that the C. bactrianus clade was divided into two maternal lineages. The majority of samples originating from Iran to Japan and Mongolia belong to subclade A1, while our sample together with two Mongolian individuals formed the much smaller subclade A2. Furthermore, the divergence time of these two maternal lineages was estimated as 165 Kya (95% credibility interval 117-222 Kya), this might indicate that several different evolutionary lineages were incorporated into the domestic gene pool during the initial domestication process. Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analysis a slow increase in female effective population size of C. bactrianus from 5000 years ago, which to the beginning of domestication of C. bactrianus. The present study also revealed that there were extensive exchanges of genetic information among C. bactrianus populations in regions along the Silk Road. KW - Camelus bactrianus KW - mitochondrial genome KW - ancient DNA KW - phylogeny KW - maternal lineages Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/24701394.2019.1659250 SN - 2470-1394 SN - 2470-1408 VL - 30 IS - 7 SP - 786 EP - 793 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Folkertsma, Remco A1 - Westbury, Michael V. A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Hofreiter, Michael T1 - The complete mitochondrial genome of the common vole, Microtus arvalis (Rodentia: Arvicolinae) JF - Mitochondrial DNA Part B N2 - The common vole, Microtus arvalis belongs to the genus Microtus in the subfamily Arvicolinae. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of M. arvalis was recovered using shotgun sequencing and an iterative mapping approach using three related species. Phylogenetic analyses using the sequence of 21 arvicoline species place the common vole as a sister species to the East European vole (Microtus levis), but as opposed to previous results we find no support for the recognition of the genus Neodon within the subfamily Arvicolinae, as this is, as well as the genus Lasiopodomys, found within the Microtus genus. KW - Microtus arvalis KW - Arvicolinae KW - mitochondrial genome KW - common vole KW - phylogeny Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2018.1457994 SN - 2380-2359 VL - 3 IS - 1 SP - 446 EP - 447 ER -