PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DROSOPHILA-SUBOBSCURA, D-GUANCHE AND D-MADEIRENSIS BASED ON SOUTHERN ANALYSIS OF HEAT-SHOCK GENES

A Southern analysis of genomic DNA using Drosophila melanogaster probe s for the major heat shock protein genes (Hsp82, Hsp70, Hsps encoding small proteins) was made to study the phylogenetic relationships betwe en three Drosophila species belonging to the obscura group (D. subobsc ura, D. guanche, and D. madeirensis). The phylogenetic trees showed th at D. madeirensis and D. subobscura are the most closely related speci es in the triad, while D. guanche is the most distantly related one. A s in other Drosophila species, Hsp82 is a single copy gene in D. subob scura, D. guanche, and D. madeirensis, while Hsp70 and Hsps, which enc ode small proteins, are genic families. At least four sequences homolo gous to D. melanogaster Hsp70 were found in the obscura group species. These species have sequences which showed similarity with the four sm all Hsps of D. melanogaster.