Structure of the mtDNA control region and phylogeny of the Mustelidae species

Complete sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region from Sable and Yellow-throated marten were amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR),and were aligned by ClustalX with nine other species of Mustelidae from GenBank.According to the alignment,three domains,the extended termination associated sequence domain(ETAS),the central domain(CD) and the conserved sequence block domain(CSB),were identified in the mtDNA control region of Mustelidae.A extended termination associated sequence(ETAS1) and eight conserved sequence(CSB-F,E,D,C,B,1,2,3) were identified,and mode of sequence was provided.Different kinds of short repetitive sequences were found between CSB1 and CSB2.Moreover,the phylogenetic evolution relationship of Mustelidae was analyzed using the neighbor-joining(NJ) method with the Wolf as the outgroup,.The results showed that Mephitinae was divided from Mustelidae firstly,and then the others were divided into two branches.The species of Martes and Wolverine were contained in one branch which was formed a sister group with Eurasian badger of Melinae;The species of Lutrinae and Polecat of Mustela formed a sister group,and Marbled polecat was sister to the clade of Lutrinae species and Polecat.They formed another branch.Eurasian badger has the closest relationship with the Sable of Martes,and Lutrinae has the closest relationship with Mustela.