The origin of multiple clones in the parthenogenetic lizard species Darevskia rostombekowi

PLoS One. 2017 Sep 20;12(9):e0185161. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185161. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The all-female Caucasian rock lizard Darevskia rostombekowi and other unisexual species of this genus reproduce normally via true parthenogenesis. Typically, diploid parthenogenetic reptiles exhibit some amount of clonal diversity. However, allozyme data from D. rostombekowi have suggested that this species consists of a single clone. Herein, we test this hypothesis by evaluating variation at three variable microsatellite loci for 42 specimens of D. rostombekowi from four populations in Armenia. Analyses based on single nucleotide polymorphisms of each locus reveal five genotypes or presumptive clones in this species. All individuals are heterozygous at the loci. The major clone occurs in 24 individuals and involves three populations. Four rare clones involve one or several individuals from one or two populations. Most variation owes to parent-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms, which occur as heterozygotes. This result fails to reject the hypothesis of a single hybridization founder event that resulted in the initial formation of one major clone. The other clones appear to have originated via post-formation microsatellite mutations of the major clone.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Armenia
  • Clone Cells
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genotype
  • Heterozygote
  • Hybridization, Genetic
  • Lizards / genetics*
  • Male
  • Microsatellite Repeats
  • Mutation
  • Parthenogenesis / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Grants and funding

The work on DNA sequencing was supported by the Russian Science Foundation No 14-14-00832 (http://rscf.ru/en). The work on genotype revealing and characterization was supported by the Russian Foundation of Scientific Researches (grant No 17-04-00396) by the RAS Program «Molecular and Cell Biology» (http://rscf.ru/en). The work was conducted on the base of the Center for Collective Use, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences (GK-02.451.11.7060) (http://www.genebiology.ru/en/).