Variation of the Bovidae (Mammalia: Artiodactyla) mitochondrial DNA control region and their phylogenetic relationship

The control region is the major noncoding segment of animal mitochondrial DNA. The mammal family Bovidae comprises all artiodactyl ungulates. To infer the organization and variation of Bovidae mitochondrial DNA control region, the complete control region sequences of 91 species were analysed. The control region ranged from 677 bp (Saiga tatarica) to 1329 bp (Oryx dammah) in length and can be separated into three domains among these species. The control region has the same flanking gene order from tRNA(pro) to tRNA(Phe). Genetic distances between species ranged from 0.44% (between Bos javanicus and Bos taurus) to 24.05% (between Syncerus caffer and Gazella subgutturosa). The average genetic distances among the species within the genera varied from 2.78% (Procapra) to 22.07% (Hemitragus). The average genetic distances showed significantly negative correlation with ts/tv. The maximum-likelihood method was used to construct a phylogenetic tree. Members of Bovinae appear in basal position among the Bovidae lineage. Analysis of control region genes supported the hypothesis of polyphyly for Antilopinae.