Quantitative analysis of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis protein patterns: a method for studying genetic relationships among Globodera pallida populations

A method based in two-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis has been deve loped in order to improve the analysis of genetic relationships among popul ations of Globodera. It has been used to estimate genetic divergence among nine Globodera pallida nematode populations. Sixty-one anonymous. polypepti de spots were resolved using silver-stained high-resolution 2D gels and the y were quantified in each population to establish genetic variation among G . pallida populations. The results of this analysis were compared with thos e obtained after a study of allelic frequency variation, which was carried out using seven previously described loci. Genetic distances among populati ons were calculated by means of both studies, the quantitative analysis and the allelic frequency variation, and phylogenetic trees were constructed f or each type of analysis. A correlation analysis between the two distance m atrices was, carried out and a bootstrap analysis was performed to determin e the strength of the clusters obtained with each method. The results obtai ned support the idea that quantitative protein analysis can be successfully applied to phylogenetic analysis of G. pallida populations.