RELATEDNESS OF PARTHENOGENETIC LACERTA LIZARDS AND THEIR PRESUMABLE PARENTAL BISEXUAL SPECIES DEDUCED FROM COMPARATIVE DATA ON AMPLIFICATION PRODUCTS OBTAINED BY SINGLE-PRIMER POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

The AP-RAPD method was used to compare PCR-amplified DNA sequences of four parthenogenetic and five bisexual species which are hypothetical parents of the former; they have produced them by crossing. PCR produc ts were separated electrophoretically and stained with ethidium bromid e; bands corresponding to reaction products of varying length form spe cies-specific patterns. It was demonstrated that the patterns of parth enogenetic species are composed of bands characteristic of parental sp ecies. It may be concluded that parthenogenetic species are really of hybrid origin and that presumed bisexual species were their parents. D ata on 103 single primers with arbitrary structure and their activity in PCR reactions are discussed.