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Genome evolution in pocket gophers (genus Thomomys)

II. Variation in cellular DNA content

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Abstract

Cellular DNA content (2 C-value) was measured by fluorescence flow cytometry of chromomycin-A3 stained spleen cells in 2 subgenera, 5 species, and 21 subspecies of pocket gophers (genus Thomomys). The data indicate that, in Thomomys: (1) interspecific variation is extensive but, while some congeneric species differ by as much as 230%, others are identical in C-value; (2) intraspecific differentiation can be extensive with C-values differing by as much as 35%; and (3) populations of the same subspecies with apparently similar karyotypes can differ significantly in C-value. The implications of these results for hypotheses of the “adaptive” significance of C-value variation and genome evolution are discussed.

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  1. Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, California, USA

    Steven W. Sherwood & James L. Patton

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  1. Steven W. Sherwood
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  2. James L. Patton
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Sherwood, S.W., Patton, J.L. Genome evolution in pocket gophers (genus Thomomys). Chromosoma 85, 163–179 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294963

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