Research article summary (published 15 Feb 2006):

Molecular phylogeny of the Cricetinae subfamily based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b and 12S rRNA genes and the nuclear vWF gene.

Full Abstract

Despite some popularity of hamsters as pets and laboratory animals there is no reliable phylogeny of the subfamily Cricetinae available so far. Contradicting views exist not only about the actual number of species but also concerning the validity of several genera. We used partial DNA sequences of two mitochondrial (cytochrome b, 12S rRNA) and one partial nuclear gene (von Willebrand Factor exon 28) to provide a first gene tree of the Cricetinae based on 15 taxa comprising six genera. According to our data, Palaearctic hamsters fall into three distinct phylogenetic groups: Phodopus, Mesocricetus, and Cricetus-related species which evolved during the late Miocene about 7-12MY ago. Surprisingly, the genus Phodopus, which was previously thought to have appeared during the Pleistocene, forms the oldest clade. The largest number of extant hamster genera is found in a group of Cricetus-related hamsters. The genus Cricetulus itself proved to be not truly monophyletic with Cricetulus migratorius appearing more closely related to Tscherskia, Cricetus, and Allocricetulus. We propose to place the species within a new monotypic genus. Molecular clock calculations are not always in line with the dating of fossil records. DNA based divergence time estimates as well as taxonomic relationships demand a reevaluation of morphological characters previously used to identify fossils and extant hamsters.

Author information

Author/s: Neumann, Karsten (K); Michaux, Johan (J); Lebedev, Vladimir (V); Yigit, Nuri (N); Colak, Ercument (E); Ivanova, Natalia (N); Poltoraus, Andrey (A); Surov, Alexei (A); Markov, Georgi (G); Maak, Steffen (S); Neumann, Sabine (S); Gattermann, Rolf (R);

Affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Domplatz 4, D-06108 Halle (Saale), Germany. karsten.neumann(-atsign-)zoologie.uni-halle.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Molecular phylogenetics and evolution (Mol Phylogenet Evol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Apr; vol 39 (issue 1) : pp 135-48

Dates: Created 2006/03/20; Completed 2006/05/18; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16483801, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals Base Sequence Cricetinae - classification; genetics Cytochromes b - genetics DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics Evolution, Molecular

Evolution, Molecular Genes, rRNA - genetics Molecular Sequence Data Phylogeny RNA, Ribosomal - genetics von Willebrand Factor - genetics

Associated Chemicals: DNA, Mitochondrial (0) ; RNA, Ribosomal (0) ; RNA, ribosomal, 12S (0) ; von Willebrand Factor (0) ; Cytochromes b (9035-37-4)

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