USING OF SHORT RETROPOSON-B2 IN THE STUDY OF PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP IN RODENTS

It is suggested to use short retroposons in the study of phylogenetic relationship between different species. It is likely that the presence of the above mentioned retroposon's copies in different genomes testi fies to identical origin of these species. The fact that the genomes o f different species include not the same but similar retroposons is co nsidered as evidence for identical phylogenetic origin. A new retropos on was found in genomic DNA of Dipodidae (DIP element). This element h as holology with the B2 element of mouse, rat (Muridae) and hamster (C ricetidae). The B2-like elements were not detected in Gliridae and Cav ia DNAs, hence we suggest the earlier divergence of these animals from the route leading to Muridae and Cricetidae. The structural analysis of the DIP element supported the role of the nucleotide sequence of 4, 5 S(1) RNA in the process of appearing the B2 superfamily of retroposo ns in Rodents.