Lepus yarkandensis is a national second-class protected animal endemic to China and distributed only in the hot and arid Tarim Basin in Xinjiang. We sequenced and described the complete mitogenome of L. yarkandensis to analyze its characteristics and phylogeny. The species’ DNA is a 17,047 bp circular molecule that includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one control region. The overall base composition was as follows: A, 31.50%; T, 29.40%; G, 13.30% and C, 25.80%, with a high A+T bias of 60.9%. In the PCGs, ND6 had deviation ranges for AT skew (–0.303) and GC skew (0.636). The Ka/Ks values of ND1 (1.067) and ND6 (1.352) genes were >1, indicating positive selection, which might play an important role in the adaptation of L. yarkandensis to arid and hot environments. The conserved sequence block, the central conserved domain, and the extended termination-associated sequences of the control region and their features were identified and described. The phylogenetic tree based on the complete mitogenome showed that L. yarkandensis was closely related to the sympatric Lepus tibetanus pamirensis. These novel datasets of L. yarkandensis can supply basic data for phylogenetic studies of Lepus spp., apart from providing essential and important resource for further genetic research and the protection of this species.
Lepus tolai has a wide geographic distribution in the world, and there are some taxonomic confusions due to lack of studies. The complete mitochondrial genome of L. tolai in Xinjiang is 17,047 bp long with 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and a control region. The overall base composition is 31.81% of A, 29.40% of T, 25.67%of C, and 13.12% of G, showing AT-rich. Phylogenetic analysis results showed that L. tolai is closely related to Lepus timidus, and distantly related to Lepus earoupenses and Lepus capensis. The new mtDNA data will supplement the mitochondrial gene pool of Lepus and helpful for validating taxonomic status of L. tolai on mtDNA level.
The main topic of population genetics and evolutionary biology is the influence of the ecological environment, geographical isolation, and climatic factors on population structure and history. Here, we estimated the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and population history of two subspecies of Tolai hares (Lepus tolai Pallas, 1778), L. t. lehmanni inhabiting Northern and Northwest Xinjiang and L. t. centrasiaticus inhabiting Central and Eastern Xinjiang using SNP of specific-length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) and four mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Our results showed a relatively high degree of genetic diversity for Tolai hares, and the diversity of L. t. lehmanni was slightly higher than that of L. t. centrasiaticus, likely due to the more favorable ecological environment, such as woodlands and plains. Phylogenetic analysis from SNP and mtDNA indicated a rough phylogeographical distribution pattern among Tolai hares. Strong differentiation was found between the two subspecies and the two geographical groups in L. t. centrasiaticus, possibly due to the geographical isolation of mountains, basins, and deserts. However, gene flow was also detected between the two subspecies, which might be attributed to the Tianshan Corridor and the strong migration ability of hares. Tolai hare population differentiation occurred at approximately 1.2377 MYA. Population history analysis based on SNP and mtDNA showed that the Tolai hare population has a complex history and L. t. lehmanni was less affected by the glacial event, possibly because its geographic location and terrain conditions weaken the drastic climate fluctuations. In conclusion, our results indicated that the joint effect of ecological environment, geographic events, and climatic factors might play important roles in the evolutionary process of L. t. lehmanni and L. t. centrasiaticus, thus resulting in differentiation, gene exchange, and different population history.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.