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The clinal variation of metacentric frequency in the populations of the common shrew, Sorex araneus L., in the Dnieper and Pripyat interfluve

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Abstract

The common shrew, Sorex araneus, is characterized by an exclusive polymorphism for Robertsonian translocations. Karyotypes of more than 70 chromosomal races of S. araneus differ from each other in composition and number of metacentrics resulting from Rb translocations which involve ten pairs of acrocentric chromosomes. The karyotype with ten pairs of acrocentric chromosomes is regarded as the initial in evolution of this species. Such acrocentric karyotype is characteristic of two chromosomal races in mountain isolates. Shrews with acrocentric karyotype have not been detected in polymorphic populations of Europe. Analysis of the chromosome polymorphism of the S. araneus in the Dnieper–Pripyat interfluve has demonstrated frequency clines for the specific metacentrics of three chromosomal races, namely the Białowieża, Kiev, and West Dvina races. The individuals with ten acrocentric chromosome pairs were revealed for the first time in the polymorphic populations in the terminal cline parts of the Kiev and West Dvina races and in contact zone between the Białowieża and Kiev races. Two hypotheses are being discussed to explain the clinal variation of the frequency of three race metacentrics: (1) “acrocentric peak” in contact zone of metacentric races and (2) hybridization between the metacentric races and the acrocentric race which might exist in the Dnieper basin in the past.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Robert Angus (scientific associate of Entomology Section, Natural History Museum, London, UK) for stylistic improvement of English. The study is supported by the Russian and the Belarusian Fund for Fundamental Research “RFBR-BRFFR” (http://www.rfbr.ru/rffi/ru/), Project No. 14-04-90006.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Microevolution of Mammals, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Yury M. Borisov, Elena V. Cherepanova & Victor N. Orlov

  2. Laboratory for Molecular Zoology and Fauna Genesis, Scientific and Practical Center for Bioresources, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Republic of Belarus

    Helena S. Gaiduchenko, Iryna A. Kryshchuk & Mikhail E. Nikiforov

Authors
  1. Yury M. Borisov
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  2. Helena S. Gaiduchenko
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  3. Elena V. Cherepanova
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  4. Iryna A. Kryshchuk
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  5. Mikhail E. Nikiforov
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  6. Victor N. Orlov
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Correspondence to Yury M. Borisov or Elena V. Cherepanova.

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All institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

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Communicated by: Jan M. Wójcik

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ESM 1

Table S1. Karyotypes of the common shrews in the Dnieper–Pripyat interfluve and adjacent territories. (DOC 336 kb)

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Borisov, Y.M., Gaiduchenko, H.S., Cherepanova, E.V. et al. The clinal variation of metacentric frequency in the populations of the common shrew, Sorex araneus L., in the Dnieper and Pripyat interfluve. Mamm Res 61, 269–277 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-016-0272-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-016-0272-2

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