Molecular evolution of the murine tspy genes

Molecular aspects of murine evolution were studied by sequencing, and subse quently comparing, introns of the Y-chromosomal tspy genes from Apodemus ag rarius, A. sylvaticus, A. flavicollis, Mus platythrix (subgenus Pyromys), M . booduga (subgenus Leggada), and from species of the subgenus Mus, includi ng M. cervicalor; M. macedonicus and M. spretus. Estimates of nucleotide su bstitution rates in these lineages were in perfect agreement with phylogene tic data previously published by She et al. (1990), Catzeflis et al. (1992; 1993), and Lyon et al. (1996). The only exception was provided by a compar atively late divergence of M. spretus and M. macedonicus. Our data also sug gest that M. booduga diverged from the subgenus Mus about 3 Myr ago. Copyri ght (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.