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Mitochondrial structure of Eastern honeybee populations from Syria, Lebanon and Iraq

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Abstract

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) from Syria (n = 1,624), Lebanon (n = 177), and Iraq (n = 35) were collected for genetic analysis. These samples were analyzed by the cleaved amplified polymorphisms technique using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) as a molecular marker in their COI–COII intergenic region (Cytochrome Oxidase I and II). Polymerase chain reaction amplicons (500–950 bp) were subjected to restriction analysis by DraI enzyme. The restriction profiles were analyzed and compared with the existing mtDNA markers on polyacrylamide gels. Sixteen new haplotypes were identified, 14 of them on the African lineage A, one new haplotype on the North Mediterranean lineage C and one other on the West Mediterranean lineage M. DNA sequences of all these haplotypes were subsequently determined. We also identified five other haplotypes that had been described in a previous study. These five haplotypes were renamed and grouped more appropriately with the subgroup Z, rather than with the Oriental lineage O. The sequence structures of these novel haplotypes clearly display the specific characteristics of the African branch (A). However, they differ from the African haplotypes by a new restriction site; therefore, they have been moved into a new subgroup. We conclude that A. mellifera syriaca subspecies does not belong to the Oriental lineage O, but is situated geographically in an area of contact between the A and O lineages.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the Syrian beekeeper association and the Ministry of Agriculture in Syria for contributing and facilitating the sampling in most Syrian regions. We are grateful to Jean-Christophe Sandoz for reading this manuscript and making valuable suggestions.

Structure mitochondriale des populations de l’abeille ‘syrienne’ (Syrie, Liban et Iraq)

Apis mellifera syriaca / CAPS / haplotype / région intergénique COI–COII/cytochrome oxydase / ADN mitochondrial

Die Struktur von Populationen der Honigbiene in Syrien, dem Libanon und dem Irak anhand mitochondrialer DNA

Apis mellifera syriaca / CAPS / Haplotypen / Honigbiene / Zwischengenregion COI–COII / Cyt b / mtDNA

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes et Spéciation, UPR 9034, CNRS Avenue de la Terrasse, Bâtiment 13, Boite Postale 1, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Mohamed Alburaki, Sibyle Moulin, Hélène Legout & Lionel Garnery

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Damascus, P.O. Box 30621, Damascus, Syria

    Ali Alburaki

  3. Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, 45 Avenue des Etats-Unis, 78000, Versailles, France

    Lionel Garnery

  4. National Commission for Biotechnology NCBT, Damascus, Syria

    Mohamed Alburaki

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  1. Mohamed Alburaki
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  2. Sibyle Moulin
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  3. Hélène Legout
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  4. Ali Alburaki
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  5. Lionel Garnery
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Correspondence to Mohamed Alburaki.

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Manuscript editor: David Tarpy

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Alburaki, M., Moulin, S., Legout, H. et al. Mitochondrial structure of Eastern honeybee populations from Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Apidologie 42, 628–641 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-011-0062-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-011-0062-4

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