Analysis of mitochondrial DNA genomes from Mus musculus subspecies can provide valuable insights into their phylogeography and evolutionary history.

Abstract

The house mouse (Mus musculus L) is a widely distributed species with several subspecies that exhibit significant genetic variation across their geographic ranges. Understanding the phylogeographic structure and genetic diversity within Mus musculus subspecies is Important for understanding their evolutionary histories and patterns of gene flow. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and the population differentiation of Mus musculus subspecies using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome. The primary objectives were to identify distinct genetic lineages within Mus musculus and examine patterns of genetic structure and hybridization.

Mitochondrial DNA genomes were collected from GenBank, representing 241 DNA sequences across 41 populations. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using MEGA software to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships among the subspecies and populations, with particular attention to hybrid zones between M. m. musculus, M. m. domesticus, and M. m. castaneus. The phylogenetic trees revealed clear genetic separation between subspecies while also highlighting areas of genetic mixing in known hybrid zones, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Denmark demonstrated genetic signatures consistent with hybridization between M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus, while populations from Central Asia showed potential genetic admixture between M. m. musculus and M. m. castaneus, such as Iran.

The phylogeographic analysis that was conducted during this study by DNAsp software indicated that populations from regions such as China displayed higher levels of genetic diversity, while populations from regions such as Armenia, Cyprus, and Algeria exhibited lower genetic variation. These patterns suggest that there might be historical migration routes, geographic barriers, and local ecological factors. The study also found significant population differentiation calculated by the FST values, populations from geographically distant regions, such as Bangladesh and Madagascar, showing high FST values closer to 1 indicative of genetic isolation and Low gene flow but higher population differentiation. In comparison with populations from Austrian and Bulgaria which showed much lower FST values closer to 0 that indicated that there is an ongoing gene flow but also showed that they have low to no population differentiation.

In Summary, in this study we will come across many valuable insights into the phylogeographic patterns, genetic diversity, and population differentiation between Mus musculus subspecies and between Mus musculus populations, emphasizing the importance of geographic isolation, gene flow, and hybrid zones in shaping the evolutionary history of this species. The findings in this study enable us to understand the complex population structure and evolutionary dynamics of Mus musculus species and subspecies.