Biochemical relationships of the Holarctic vole genera (Clethrionomys, Microtus, and Arvicola (Rodentia: Arvicolinae))

Abstract

Transferrin (Tf), hemoglobin (Hgb), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGH), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) were examined by starch-gel electrophoresis in Holarctic Microtus oeconomus and Clethrionomys rutilus, Siberian Microtus hyperboreus and Clethrionomys rufocanus, and North American Microtus miurus, Microtus ochrogaster, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Arvicola richardsoni, and Clethrionomys gapperi. Thirty alleles of five to seven loci, the number depending on the presence or absence of one or two minor hemoglobin fractions, were identified in these species. Interspecific comparisons were based on the presence of at least one allele shared in common at the various loci. The closest biochemical resemblances occurred between populations of Holarctic M. oeconomus and C. rutilus. Clethrionomys gapperi and C. rutilus were quite similar but C. rufocanus was divergent. Observed resemblances between M. hyperboreus and M. miurus were not strong and do not support the inclusion of the former in the amphiberingian narrow-skulled vole group. Arvicola richardsoni, though seemingly close to M. pennsylvanicus, was quite divergent from all other species of Microtus at the LAP locus and warrants comparison with Palearctic Arvicola. Microtus ochrogaster and M. pennsylvanicus shared many similarities and served as reference samples.

Phylogeography of the Root VoleMicrotus oeconomusin Russian Far East: A Special Reference to Comparison between Holarctic and Palaearctic Voles

“…3 and 4). In addition, the present results also essentially resemble the allozyme patterns in both Holarctic vole species reported by Nadler et al (1978), Lance andCook (1998), andFrisman et al (2003), whereas Mi. oeconomus in Siberia and Alaska shared resemblance of gene frequencies in several loci.…”

“…3). It is well known that the KAM and KUR regions were bound to Alaska through a land bridge during the Quaternary glacial periods (Frenzel et al 1992) and the data in Nadler et al (1978) and Lance and Cook (1998) were also acceptable considering the geographical history. In contrast, the local differentiation in the Cytb haplotypes between the MAG and KAM/KUR/KOL/ALK regions substantially differ between the Holarctic species and the Palaearctic My.…”

“…The phylogeographies of local differentiation in Palaearctic and Nearctic small rodents have been studied in many species (Hayes and Harrison 1992;Fedorov et al 1996;Jaarola and Tegelström 1996;Conroy and Cook 2000;Iwasa et al 2000;Cook et al 2001;Frisman et al 2002Frisman et al , 2003Iwasa andSuzuki 2002, 2003;Jaarola and Searle 2002;Serizawa et al 2002). However, there are only several phylogeographic studies on intraspecific differentiation for Holarctic small rodents using biochemical analysis (Nadler et al 1978;Lance and Cook 1998;Frisman et al 2003) and molecular analysis Brunhoff et al 2003;Galbreath and Cook 2004). Taking into consideration the phylogeography and evolution of Holarctic rodents, an interspecific comparison of local differentiation patterns should be conducted among those that are distributed sympatrically, particularly in areas of the Russian Far East and Western Alaska (Lance and Cook 1998;Brunhoff et al 2003).…”

Macrogeographic variation in mitochondrial DNA of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus)

“…Most electrophoretic studies in Microtus have focused on the relationship between allele frequencies at certain loci and changes in demography or dispersal behaviour (Tamarin and Krebs 1969;Krebs et al 1976;Gaines et al 1978; Bowen 1982). Fewer taxonomically oriented studies have used electrophoresis to discriminate between different species or other taxa (Johnson 1974(Johnson , 1977Stratton et al 1977;Nadler et al 1978). Other techniques such as immunological comparisons (Johnson 1974) and karyotyping (Johnson and Ostenson 1959;Cooper and Hsu 1972;Nadler et al 1978) have been used to separate related microtine species.…”

“…Fewer taxonomically oriented studies have used electrophoresis to discriminate between different species or other taxa (Johnson 1974(Johnson , 1977Stratton et al 1977;Nadler et al 1978). Other techniques such as immunological comparisons (Johnson 1974) and karyotyping (Johnson and Ostenson 1959;Cooper and Hsu 1972;Nadler et al 1978) have been used to separate related microtine species. Such techniques rarely discriminate between subspecies or populations (but see Judd and Cross 1980;Gill 1982).…”