Detection of genetically unstable loci in parthenogenic families of lizards of the Lacerta genus by DNA fingerprinting

Two parthenogenic families of unisexual species of Caucasian rock lizards o f genus Lacerta, L. armeniaca and L. unisexualis, were analyzed by DNA fing erprinting. Inheritance of M13 minisatellite and of (GACA)(n), (GATA)(n), a nd (TCC)(n), microsatellite loci in the first generation of the lizards was studied. M13, (GBCA)(n), and (TCC)(n) loci in the families oft. armeniaca were strictly inherited, as well as M13 and (GACA)(n) loci in the families of L. unisexualis: each DNA fragment in the fingerprint patterns of progeny could be detected in the maternal pattern. However, when a (TCC)SO microsa tellite probe was applied in the study of L. unisexualis families, specific DNA fragments with altered mobility were revealed in the progeny patterns, and the frequency of such events was rather high. It might be hypothesized that some of the (TCC)(n) loci in L. unisexualis genome are highly mutable . Hence, the family analysis allowed us to demonstrate experimentally the p resence of genetically unstable loci in genomes of parthenogenic species of vertebrates. The nature and mechanism of the instability of these loci in parthenogenesis remain obscure.