Of mice and 'convicts': origin of the Australian house mouse, Mus musculus

PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e28622. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028622. Epub 2011 Dec 12.

Abstract

The house mouse, Mus musculus, is one of the most ubiquitous invasive species worldwide and in Australia is particularly common and widespread, but where it originally came from is still unknown. Here we investigated this origin through a phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences (D-loop) comparing mouse populations from Australia with those from the likely regional source area in Western Europe. Our results agree with human historical associations, showing a strong link between Australia and the British Isles. This outcome is of intrinsic and applied interest and helps to validate the colonization history of mice as a proxy for human settlement history.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Australia
  • Genetic Variation
  • Geography
  • Humans
  • Mice / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Tasmania

Associated data

  • GENBANK/JF277281
  • GENBANK/JF277282
  • GENBANK/JF277283
  • GENBANK/JF277284
  • GENBANK/JF277285
  • GENBANK/JF277286
  • GENBANK/JF277287
  • GENBANK/JF277288
  • GENBANK/JF277289
  • GENBANK/JF277290
  • GENBANK/JF277291
  • GENBANK/JF277292
  • GENBANK/JF277293
  • GENBANK/JF277294
  • GENBANK/JF277295
  • GENBANK/JF277296
  • GENBANK/JF277297
  • GENBANK/JF277298
  • GENBANK/JF277299
  • GENBANK/JF277300