DOUBLE-STRAND CONFORMATION POLYMORPHISM (DSCP) ANALYSIS OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL CONTROL REGION GENERATES HIGHLY VARIABLE MARKERS FOR POPULATION STUDIES IN A SOCIAL INSECT

Genetic markers were obtained for the termite Nasutitermes corniger by DSCP (double-strand conformation polymorphism) analysis of PCR-amplif ied mitochondrial control region DNA. This procedure revealed twenty-o ne haplotypes in forty-four colonies, whereas a restriction fragment l ength polymorphism analysis detected only nine haplotypes. Sequence an alysis of DSCP fragments of contrasting mobilities suggests that the e lectrophoretic haplotypes are caused by DNA curvature in this highly A T-rich region, DSCP markers showed that some termite colonies containe d maternally unrelated queens, each of which produced worker offspring , This pattern is consistent with nest founding by unrelated queens. D ue to the availability of conserved primers for the mtDNA control regi on, DSCP analysis may readily reveal comparatively high levels of vari ation in a wide variety of organisms.