Biomaterial Database

Mitochondrial DNA analyses and the origin and relative age of parthenogenetic lizards (genus Cnemidophorus). 1979

W M Brown, and J W Wright

Morphological, karyological, and allozyme analyses indicate that the parthenogenetic lizards Cnemidophorus neomexicanus and diploid C. tesselatus are hybrids formed, respectively, by crosses involving the bisexual species C. tigris and C. inornatus, and C. tigris and C. septemvittatus. Mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited maternally, was obtained from each of these species. Analyses of the mitochondrial DNA's and their restriction endonuclease digestion products by electron microscopy and agarose gel electrophoresis support the hybridization hypothesis by indicating that C. tigris (specifically the subspecies marmoratus) was the maternal parent species for both C. neomexicanus and C. tesselatus. Furthermore, these data imply that these two parthenogenetic species are younger than some races of C. tigris.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008116	Lizards	Reptiles within the order Squamata that generally possess limbs, moveable EYELIDS, and EXTERNAL EAR openings, although there are some species which lack one or more of these structures.	Chameleons,Geckos,Chameleon,Gecko,Lizard
D010312	Parthenogenesis	A unisexual reproduction without the fusion of a male and a female gamete (FERTILIZATION). In parthenogenesis, an individual is formed from an unfertilized OVUM that did not complete MEIOSIS. Parthenogenesis occurs in nature and can be artificially induced.	Arrhenotoky,Automixis,Thelytoky,Parthenogeneses
D012098	Reproduction	The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D004262	DNA Restriction Enzymes	Enzymes that are part of the restriction-modification systems. They catalyze the endonucleolytic cleavage of DNA sequences which lack the species-specific methylation pattern in the host cell's DNA. Cleavage yields random or specific double-stranded fragments with terminal 5'-phosphates. The function of restriction enzymes is to destroy any foreign DNA that invades the host cell. Most have been studied in bacterial systems, but a few have been found in eukaryotic organisms. They are also used as tools for the systematic dissection and mapping of chromosomes, in the determination of base sequences of DNAs, and have made it possible to splice and recombine genes from one organism into the genome of another. EC 3.21.1.	Restriction Endonucleases,DNA Restriction Enzyme,Restriction Endonuclease,Endonuclease, Restriction,Endonucleases, Restriction,Enzymes, DNA Restriction,Restriction Enzyme, DNA,Restriction Enzymes, DNA
D004272	DNA, Mitochondrial	Double-stranded DNA of MITOCHONDRIA. In eukaryotes, the mitochondrial GENOME is circular and codes for ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, and about 10 proteins.	Mitochondrial DNA,mtDNA
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013045	Species Specificity	The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species.	Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species