Chen Shi-Yi, Xu Ling, Lü Long-Bao, Yao Yong-Gang
Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China.
Dongwuxue Yanjiu. 2011 Feb;32(1):17-23. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1141.2011.01017.
Due to their special phylogenetic position in the Euarchontoglires and close affinity to primates, tree shrews have been proposed as an alternative experimental animal to primates in biomedical research. However, the population genetic structure of tree shrews has largely remained unknown and this has hindered the development of tree shrew breeding and selection. Here we sampled 80 Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) in Kunming, China, and analyzed partial mtDNA control region sequence variation. Based on our samples and two published sequences from northern tree shrews (T. belangeri), we identified 29 substitutions in the mtDNA control region fragment (~604 bp) across 82 individuals and defined 13 haplotypes. Seventeen samples were selected for sequencing of the cytochrome b (Cyt b; 1134 bp) gene based on control region sequence variation and were analyzed in combination with 34 published sequences to solidify the phylogenetic pattern obtained from control region data. Overall, tree shrews from Kunming have high genetic diversity and present a remarkable long genetic distance to the two reported northern tree shrews outside China. Our results provide some caution when using tree shrews to establish animal models because of this apparent genetic difference. In addition, the high genetic diversity of Chinese tree shrews inhabiting Kunming suggests that systematic genetic investigations should be conducted before establishing an inbred strain for medical and biological research.
由于树鼩在真灵长总目中具有特殊的系统发育地位，且与灵长类动物亲缘关系密切，因此在生物医学研究中，树鼩被提议作为灵长类动物的替代实验动物。然而，树鼩的群体遗传结构在很大程度上仍不清楚，这阻碍了树鼩育种和选育的发展。在此，我们在中国昆明采集了80只中国树鼩（Tupaia belangeri chinensis）样本，并分析了线粒体DNA控制区部分序列变异。基于我们的样本以及已发表的两份北树鼩（T. belangeri）序列，我们在82个个体的线粒体DNA控制区片段（约604 bp）中鉴定出29个替换位点，并定义了13种单倍型。基于控制区序列变异，选择了17个样本进行细胞色素b（Cyt b；1134 bp）基因测序，并与34条已发表序列进行联合分析，以巩固从控制区数据获得的系统发育模式。总体而言，昆明的树鼩具有较高的遗传多样性，与中国境外报道的两种北树鼩相比，呈现出显著的长遗传距离。由于这种明显的遗传差异，我们的结果在使用树鼩建立动物模型时提供了一些注意事项。此外，栖息在昆明的中国树鼩的高遗传多样性表明，在为医学和生物学研究建立近交系之前，应进行系统的遗传调查。
