First Genome of Rock Lizard Involved in Formation of Several Parthenogenetic Species.

The extant reptiles are one of the most diverse clades among terrestrial vertebrates and one of a few groups with instances of parthenogenesis. Due to the hybrid origin of parthenogenetic species, reference genomes of the parental species as well as of the parthenogenetic progeny are indispensable to explore the genetic foundations of parthenogenetic reproduction. Here, we report on the first genome assembly of rock lizard , a paternal species for several parthenogenetic lineages.

Evolution of the parthenogenetic rock lizard hybrid karyotype: Robertsonian translocation between two maternal chromosomes in Darevskia rostombekowi.

Darevskia rostombekowi, the most outstanding of the seven known parthenogenetic species in the genus Darevskia, is the result of an ancestral cross between two bisexual species Darevskia raddei and Darevskia portschinskii. The chromosomal set of this species includes a unique submetacentric autosomal chromosome; the origin of this chromosome was unresolved as only acrocentric chromosomes are described in the karyotypes of Darevskia genus normally. Here, we applied a suite of molecular cytogenetic techniques, including the mapping of telomeric (TTAGGG) n repeats using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), and whole-chromosome painting (WCP) in both D.

New records and geographic distribution of the sympatric zones of unisexual and bisexual rock lizards of the genus in Armenia and adjacent territories.

Background: Caucasian rock lizards of the genus are unique taxa, including both bisexual and parthenogenetic species. The parthenogenetic species have originated as a result of natural hybridisation between females and males of different bisexual species. The species involved in interspecific hybridisation are called parental.

Cytogenetic mechanisms of unisexuality in rock lizards.

Darevskia rock lizards is a unique complex taxa, including more than thirty species, seven of which are parthenogenetic. In mixed populations of Darevskia lizards, tri- and tetraploid forms can be found. The most important issues in the theory of reticulate evolution of Darevskia lizards are the origin of parthenogenetic species and their taxonomic position.

Origin, clonal diversity, and evolution of the parthenogenetic lizard Darevskia unisexualis.

Background: The hybridization of female D. raddei and male D. valentini gave rise to the parthenogenetic Caucasian rock lizard Darevskia unisexualis.

Extraordinary centromeres: differences in the meiotic chromosomes of two rock lizards species and .

According to the synthesis of 30 years of multidisciplinary studies, parthenogenetic species of rock lizards of genus were formed as a result of different combination patterns of interspecific hybridization of the four bisexual parental species: , , , and . In particular, and are considered as the parental species for the parthenogenetic species . Here for the first time, we present the result of comparative immunocytochemical study of primary spermatocyte nuclei spreads from the leptotene to diplotene stages of meiotic prophase I in two species: and .

Multiple interspecific hybridization and microsatellite mutations provide clonal diversity in the parthenogenetic rock lizard Darevskia armeniaca.

Background: The parthenogenetic Caucasian rock lizard Darevskia armeniaca, like most other parthenogenetic vertebrate species, originated through interspecific hybridization between the closely related sexual Darevskia mixta and Darevskia valentini. Darevskia armeniaca was shown to consist of one widespread allozyme clone and a few rare ones, but notwithstanding the origin of clonal diversity remains unclear. We conduct genomic analysis of D.

Seven new species of helminths for reptiles from Armenia.

Helminthic infections of reptiles habiting in the territory of Armenia are examined. Seven species of helminths new for reptiles from Armenia are registered: Parapharyngodon skrjabini, Oswaldocruzia goezei, Neoxysomatium sp., Telorchis assula, Nematotaenia tarentolae, Mesocestoides lineatus and Spirometra erinacei europea.

Genomic variation in parthenogenetic lizard Darevskia armeniaca: evidence from DNA fingerprinting data.

Microsatellites, or short tandem repeats, are abundant across genomes of most organisms. It is evident that the most straightforward and conclusive way of studying mutations in microsatellite-containing loci is to use clonally transmitted genomes or DNA sequences inherited in multigeneration pedigrees. At present, little is known about the origin of genetic variation in species that lack effective genetic recombination.