CHD genes: a reliable marker for bird populations and phylogenetic analysis? Case study of the superfamily Sylvioidea (Aves: Passeriformes)

Authors: MITICA CIORPAC, RADU CONSTANTIN DRUICA, GOGU GHIORGHITA, DUMITRU COJOCARU, DRAGOŞ LUCIAN GORGAN

Abstract: The chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein (CHD) genes are widely used markers for sex determination in birds and provide a rapid and low-cost method with applicability to a large number of taxa. A good phylogenetic marker displays highly conserved domains and a slow evolution rate, proprieties that CHD genes seem to have. This gives rise to the following question: is the CHD gene a reliable marker for phylogenetic and bird population analysis? The aim of this study is to investigate whether the CHD gene is a reliable tool for molecular phylogeny and for population analysis within the superfamily Sylvioidea. Our results reveal that CHD genes are good markers for these two analyses, even better than myoglobin.

Keywords: CHD genes, cytochrome b, myoglobin, Sylvioidea

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