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Ten populations of Caucasian juniper J. communis var. oblonga were analyzed using seven microsatellite nSSR loci to draw conclusions about migration routes and genetic relationships with populations in the northern part of their range. These new data were combined with data previously obtained from the main Eurasian range. The results of nSSR analysis confirm the data on the cpDNA structure of J. communis var. oblonga about the existence of a deep divergence between the populations of the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus and the populations of the main range, which is likely due to the long-term isolation of juniper in this part of the Caucasus. At the same time, the results indicate the existence of a juniper gene flow from the main range toward the Western Caucasus, which was more intense with seeds. The migration routes of birds established during interglacial periods contributed to the dispersal of seeds over long distances and contacts of juniper from the main part of its range with juniper in the western part of the Caucasus, which was reflected in the structure of nuclear DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inter- and intra-specific structure of genetic variability was studied using 18 microsatellite loci (nSSRs) in closely related roburoid white oaks in the Crimean-Caucasian region. The seven most widespread Quercus taxa in the region were studied in 29 morphologically pure populations from different parts of the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Crimea and northeastern Europe. Most taxa were studied using nSSR markers for the first time. Among the 492 trees studied, Bayesian clustering method implemented in STRUCTURE identified clusters corresponding to the pedunculate oak Quercus robur, the Hartwiss oak Q. hartwissiana, the Caucasian oak Q. macranthera, the downy oak Q. pubescens and three subspecies of sessile oak: Q. petraea ssp. petraea, Q. petraea ssp. iberica, Q. petraea ssp. medwediewii. Geographic structure was identified within Q. robur, Q. pubescens and Q. p. ssp. petraea. The 18 nSSR loci used are efficient in the taxonomic assignment of individuals, and identifying hybrids. The close relationship between the "long-peduncle" roburoid oaks (Q. robur and Q. hartwissiana) is shown, with a greater difference from other species. For one of the subspecies of sessile oak, widespread in the North Caucasus and Crimea Q. petraea ssp. medwediewii (syn. Q. calcarea), or limestone oak, significant differences from other taxa were found, reaching the inter-species level. The assumption of a possible hybrid origin of this taxon as a result of hybridization of Q. petraea and Q. pubescens is not confirmed by genetic analysis. The other two subspecies of Q. petraea (Q. p. ssp. petraea and Georgian durmast oak Q. p. ssp. iberica) are differentiated to a lesser extent and are related to each other, which confirms the legitimacy of distinguishing two geographically isolated taxa at the rank of subspecies. The highest variability was observed in Q. pubescens (He = 0.777). In Q. p. ssp. medwediewii variability was lower than in other widespread taxa (He = 0.652), and was approximately at the level of variability of Q. hartwissiana (He = 0.633) and Q. macranthera (He = 0.659). Clear differentiation of taxa by nuclear markers shows the limited introgression in closely related oak species in the Caucasus and Crimea. The identified genetic clusters can be used as reference groups for further population genetic studies of oaks in the Crimean-Caucasian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of a fragment of the cytochrome b (cytb) gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the genetic diversity of the little ground squirrel Spermophilus pygmaeus Pallas, 1779 of the Central and Eastern Caucasus was studied. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of two clusters A and B within the western clade of S. pygmaeus 2. Cluster A is formed by haplotypes of ground squirrels from the Eastern Caucasus and the right bank of the Volga River, while B, only haplotypes of Central Caucasian animals. The distance between clusters A and B reaches 1.3%. The relatively isolated position on the phylogenetic tree of the ground squirrel population of the Central Caucasus, the absence of identical haplotypes in Central and Eastern Caucasian animals, and the distances obtained indicate genetic heterogeneity of the ground squirrel in the North Caucasus. The results of molecular dating showed that the evolutionary age of S. pygmaeus mtDNA haplotypes from the studied areas of the Eastern Caucasus was approximately 260 000 years, and that of the Central Caucasus, 163 000 years. A decrease in haplotypic and nucleotide variability was noted in the Central Caucasian populations of the little squirrel as compared to those from the Eastern Caucasus, which in general indicates the low viability of S. pygmaeus inhabiting the mountains of the Central Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of genetic variability of the prickly juniper Juniperus deltoides R.P. Adams (family Cupressaceae), an important component of Mediterranean arid and semiarid ecosystems, was studied. We genotyped samples from five populations of J. deltoids located at the northeastern limit of the range in Eurasia (Western Crimea, Transcaucasia) and one Balkan population (Bulgaria) using five nuclear microsatellite loci developed for Juniperus cedrus Webb & Berthel. Average values of intrapopulation genetic diversity were found (He varies from 0.428 to 0.602) with the lowest values in the Crimean populations. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the populations were assigned into three genetic groups: Western Crimea, Caucasus (Krasnodar krai), and Balkans (Bulgaria). Application of AMOVA to these groups showed statistically significant differentiation (9.9% of total variability, P < 0.001). The first two groups correspond to the previously identified Asian group of J. deltoides, and the third group corresponds to the Balkan group. The differentiation of the Crimean populations from geographically close Caucasian populations is shown for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the biogeography and history of temperate biota of the Caucasian region, one of the centers of biological diversity of Eurasia, the phylogeographic structure of the chloroplast DNA of roburoid oaks (Quercus L., section Quercus, Fagaceae) was studied. We analyzed 926 trees of five species (Quercus robur, Q. petraea, Q. pubescens, Q. hartwissiana, and Q. macranthera) from 70 populations located in different parts of the Caucasus. Sequencing of five fragments with a total length of more than 10 000 bp revealed eight haplotypes, which were typed using chloroplast microsatellite loci (cpSSRs), sequencing, and restriction analysis. The Quercus phylogenetic tree, which includes 34 chloroplast haplotypes of West Eurasian and East Asian roburoid species, confirmed the monophyly of roburoid oaks, which form several lineages that do not have supported topological relationships with each other. The haplotypes identified in the Caucasus belong to two divergent Western Eurasian lineages. These haplotypes are endemic for the Eastern Black Sea and Caucasian region and do not have related haplotypes beyond its borders, which indicates the long-term presence of oaks in the Caucasus and the historical links of the oaks of the Caucasian region with the Eastern Crimea and Eastern Turkey in the absence of chloroplast DNA exchanges with the Eastern European part of the range. The results of the present study show that Caucasian populations could not significantly contribute to the colonization of northern territories and were not influenced by more northern populations, at least through seed transfer. The distributions of the Caucasian haplotypes almost do not intersect with each other, occupying certain geographical areas, which is probably caused by the settlement from individual glacial refugia and genetic drift. The geographical structure of chloroplast DNA variability indicates a long-term presence of oak, in addition to Western Transcaucasia (Colchis refugium), in the regions of the Northwestern, Central, Eastern Caucasus, and Lesser Caucasus. The coincident composition of the haplotypes of the studied Quercus species within the geographic regions indicates the long-term coexistence of different species in different parts of the Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA barcoding remains a recognized and widely used method for taxon identification in biodiversity inventory and monitoring. In this publication, we present information about the results of using this method in the study of green lizards of the genus Lacerta. A total of 67 sequences of the COI gene fragment of three species (L. agilis, L. media, and L. strigata) were analyzed. For the first time, all subspecies of L. agilis known in the Caucasus were studied using DNA barcoding, and a phylogeographic hypothesis for L. strigata in the Caucasian part of the range was proposed. Genetic identification has been successful at the species level. In the composition of L. agilis within the Caucasus, we can diagnose only the subspecies L. a. boemica and L. a. exigua, while L. a. brevicaudata, L. a. grusinica, and L. a. mzymtensis do not differ in this marker from L. a. exigua and L. a. ioriensis from L. a. boemica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability of five fragments of chloroplast DNA (ASq, CDq, TFq, trnH-psbA, and trnK-matK) with a total length of more than 10 000 bp in three species of roburoid oaks of the Crimean-Caucasian region (Q. robur, Q. petraea, and Q. pubescens) has been studied. A total of 11 haplotypes were found in 290 individuals from 20 populations, ten of which differed from the haplotypes of the main range. The results show a pronounced structure of the geographical distribution of haplotypes in roburoid oaks in the Crimea and the Caucasus, and the chloroplast haplotypes of the region belong to several divergent phylogenetic lineages. A comparison with data from other studies was carried out, with an assessment of the degree of effectiveness of using various chloroplast fragments and markers. The isolated phylogenetic position of the haplotypes from the Crimean-Caucasian populations and deep differences from the haplotypes of the main area allow us to conclude that roburoid oaks have historically been isolated for a long time in the Caucasus and Crimea. At the same time, the presence of common haplotypes indicates closer historical ties between the Crimean-Caucasian populations with Asia Minor and the Balkans. All haplotypes are identified by three fragments (ASq, CDq, and TFq), with a sufficient level of variability and suitable for solving problems of oak phylogeography in the Crimean-Caucasian region. The trnH-psbA and trnK-matK markers had a low level of variability and did not reveal additional haplotypes. Optimized genotyping options have been proposed, including both stepwise sequencing and a combination of analysis of chloroplast DNA microsatellite loci (cpSSR), restriction analysis (PCR-RFLP), and sequencing. To assess the variability of markers in a larger taxonomic range, representatives of other sections of the genus Quercus were included in the analysis. It was shown that the oak-specific primers proposed for ASq, CDq, and TFq fragments are suitable for species of other sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genomic data analysis (~886 889 autosomal SNPs) allowed us to estimate the inbreeding level on the basis of the analysis of runs of homozygosity (FROH) in a sample of 1836 individuals, including 76 indigenous populations of Siberia, Dagestan, the Caucasus, Volga-Ural region, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. The data were obtained using the Infinium Multi-Ethnic Global-8 Kit. In the populations of Dagestan, within the Nakh-Daghestanian language family, representatives of several language groups can be distinguished, with the maximum FROH level for the Dido group (0.0727) and the Andean group (0.0378), which is similar in values to the populations speaking the Chukchi-Kamchatka and Nivkh languages of Siberia (0.0360). The Siberian populations are characterized by a greater value of the total length of short and medium runs of homozygosity per person. The total length of long ROHs is more variable and much larger in the most of the populations of Dagestan and Siberia compared to other populations of the Caucasus, Central Asia, Europe, and the Volga-Ural region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of variability of four intergenic spacers of chloroplast DNA in the endangered closely related species of junipers — Juniperus excelsa, J. polycarpos, and J. foetidissima in the northern limits of their distribution—. Caucasus and Crimea was performed. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed a high degree of differentiation of the three taxa (GCT = 0.9905, P < 0.0001). Seven haplotypes have been identified in total. The population of J. foetidissima from Armenia is characterized by high genetic diversity (H = 0.442); the genetic diversity was smaller in J. excelsa (H = 0.200); the J. polycarpos populations were found to be monomorphic. The studied samples, together with those included in the analysis from GenBank from the main part of the range, formed three clades corresponding to three taxa, with high statistical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appearance and rapid spread of new invasive leafhopper species Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830) and Arboridia kakogawana (Matsumura, 1932) in Russia requires studying both the causes of the invasion and consequences of invasion for viticulture. Of particular interest is the study of the possible role of new species of leafhoppers in the spread of pathogenic bacteria of grape phytoplasmosis. At present, these issues are poorly studied. We characterized the variability of the BOLD fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene in the population samples of M. pruinosa and A. kakogawana from the populations of Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. With the help of PCR for specific genes, we searched for leafhoppers infected with bacteria of phytoplasmosis of grapes from the group of stolbur (Candidatus Phytoplasma solani) and intracellular symbiotic bacteria: Wolbachia, Rickettsia, and Spiroplasma. We found M. pruinosa only on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. The M. pruinosa populations are close to monomorphism. We found A. kakogawana in both Crimea and the Caucasus region. We have identified two new forms of this species in Russia. We have not found pathogenic bacteria of phytoplasmosis of grapes and intracellular symbiotic bacteria in studied leafhopper populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability of the microsatellite loci of the Caucasian shrew Sorex satunini in the North Caucasus was evaluated. It was shown that this species on this territory is represented by two discrete genetic lines associated with the basins of the Kuban and Terek rivers. The genetic diversity of the Caucasian shrew from the line of the Kuban River basin is characterized by a significantly higher polymorphism compared to the line from the Terek River basin. These differences are associated with both modern habitat conditions of S. satunini and the history of this species in the Western and Central Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubykh people inhabited the area of what now is Greater Sochi, one time being neighbors of the Abkhaz and Adyghe. In 1864, after the Caucasian War, a small group of Ubykh survivors migrated to Turkey. The Ubykh language is a branch of the Northwest Caucasian (Abkhazo-Adyghe) languages, which is either placed in the Abkhaz or Adyghe subgroup or distinguished in a separate subgroup, according to various classifications. All this makes Ubykhs an important but genetically unexplored part of the gene pool of the Caucasus population. We collected an exclusive sample (N = 36) of Ubykh individuals, mainly from their diaspora in Turkey. Application of a high resolution panel of Y-chromosome markers (59 SNP and 17 STR) revealed the major West Caucasus haplogroup G2 (75% of the Ubykh population) and pan-Eurasian haplogroup R1a (19%). Within the G2 haplogroup, we identified 14 branches and genotyped 14 branch-defining markers. The frequencies of the same 14 markers in 19 other populations of the Caucasus were included for comparison. Both the genetic distances and the gene geographical map of the most frequent subhaplogroup (defined by the YY1215 marker at the GRCh37 position 8903699, comprising 50% of the Ubykh sample) revealed similarity of the Ubykh and Adyghe populations. Other Abkhaz-Adyghe-speaking populations appear to be at a greater genetic distance from the Ubykhs, similar to the distance to the Turkic-speaking groups of the North Caucasus. The Ossetian gene pool has little in common with Ubykhs, thus contradicting the hypothesis of the Alanian substrate in Ubykhs. Other populations of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia (of Nakh-Daghestanian and Kartvelian linguistic groups) do not show apparent genetic similarities to Ubykhs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the population structure of Yersinia pestis spp. caucasica strains from natural plague foci located in the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. According to the data of a whole genome SNP analysis of 28 strains of the Caucasian subspecies, seven of which are sequenced by us, and taking into account 1625 identified core SNPs, the presence of several phylogenetic lines and populations of Yersinia pestis ssp. caucasica corresponding to the geographical distribution of the strains has been determined. Strains of Y. pestis Caucasian subspecies include three separate clusters, the first of which is represented by strains from the East Caucasian high-mountain plague focus. Their genome has revealed 80 unique SNPs, which indicates their greatest antiquity and the long-standing divergence of this branch from the common stem of the evolution of Caucasian strains. The genomes of strains of two other clusters also differ in a large number of individual SNPs, 32 and 36, respectively. One of them includes strains from the Pre-Sevan mountain, Zangezur-Karabakh mountain, and Pre-Araks low-mountain foci with the grouping within the cluster of three separate subclusters: Pre-Sevan (IIa), Zangezur-Karabakh (IIb), and Zangezur-Karabakh-Pre-Araks (IIc). Another one, the third cluster of the Caucasian subspecies, consists of strains from the northwestern part of the Caucasus highlands (Gyumri and Javakheti-Akhalkalaki foci). Using PCR with hybridization-fluorescent registration of results and whole genome sequencing, two clinical strains of Y. pestis were shown to belong to the Caucasian subtype, which confirms the ability of this subspecies to cause plague in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goat's rue rhizobia (Neorhizobium galegae) represent a convenient model to study the evolution and speciation of symbiotic bacteria. This rhizobial species is composed of two biovars (bv. orientalis and bv. officinalis), which form N2-fixing nodules with certain species of goat's rue (Galega orientalis and G. officinalis). The cross-inoculation between them results in the formation of nodules unable to fix nitrogen. On the basis of the data on the whole-genome sequencing, we studied the nucleotide polymorphism of 11 N. galegae strains isolated from the North Caucasus ecosystems, where G. orientalis has higher diversity than G. officinalis. The low level of differences in the polymorphism within the group of the sym genes in comparison with the nonsymbiotic genes can be associated with the active participation of host plants in the evolution of rhizobia. The intragenic polymorphism of bv. orientalis proved to be significantly higher than that of bv. officinalis. The level of polymorphism of nonsymbiotic genes was lower than that of the symbiotic genes, which are functionally more homogeneous. The divergence of the nitrogen fixation genes (nif/fix) is more pronounced than that of the nodule formation genes (nod) in the N. galegae biovars. These facts indicate the leading role of the host-specific nitrogen fixation in the evolution of the studied rizhobial species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity in two ethnic groups of the central part of the North Caucasus (Balkars and Karachays) using 50 diallelic loci in the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome was analyzed. For the first time, an analysis of distribution of frequencies of Y-chromosome haplogroups in Balkars considering different subethnic groups (Baksans, Chegems, Kholams, Bezengiyevs, and Malkars) was conducted. The major Y-chromosome haplogroups in the studied groups of Balkars and Karachays were G2a-P16 and R1a- Z2123. In addition, for a better understanding of genetic relationship between the male lineages in the studied populations and other populations of the Caucasus, we performed an analysis of R1a-M198 subhaplogroups in 22 populations of this region. The principal component analysis demonstrated that a greater difference was observed between Kholams and the other Balkar subgroups. According to the F analysis, Chegems, for which the prevalence of haplogroup R1b-M478 (32.2%) was reported, demonstrated the maximum difference from the other subpopulations of Balkars and Karachays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A collection of Puccinia triticina isolates was characterized for polymorphism of microsatellite loci and estimated for their differentiation by geographic origin. The collection included 20 isolates from the Ural region, 31 from West Siberia, 53 from Central Europe, 32 from the Northwest region, 32 from the Volga region, and 40 from the North Caucasus (24 from Dagestan and 16 from Krasnodar and Stavropol). The studied isolates were represented by 65 virulence phenotypes. In the polymorphism analysis of 18 microsatellite loci, 69 genotypes were determined. The index values of genetic distances ( F , R , KB ) between populations for microsatellite loci indicated differentiation of P. triticina isolates according to geographical origin, and they were clustered into three groups: (1) Asian, (2) European, and (3) North Caucasian. The North Caucasian isolates from Krasnodar and Stavropol regions were closer in similarity to European isolates than the Dagestan ones. Current analysis confirmed the assumption made earlier on the basis of the virulence analysis about the existence of several geographic fungi populations in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform an analysis of the diversity of the control region fragment (570 bp) and ten nuclear microsatellite loci for 36 specimens of the brown bear ( Ursus arctos) from several regions of the Caucasus. Four mitochondrial haplogroups that significantly differ from each other are revealed. An assumption of reiterative brown bear colonization of the Caucasus is made. Microsatellite data analysis shows a medium level of heterozygosity and clear differentiation between Caucasian and European bears combined with a slight distinction between the Caucasian regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic similarity and relatedness within the set of pear genotypes including autochthonous Circassian cultivars from North Caucasus, European cultivars, accessions of Pyrus caucasica Fed., and modern Russian cultivars were estimated on the basis of analysis of SSR loci. The level of polymorphism for the studied loci varied from 11 to 15 alleles per locus in the set of 29 samples of pears. A higher level of allelic polymorphism of SSR loci was revealed for a set of P. caucasica samples in comparison with modern cultivated cultivars: from 9 to 12 alleles for P. caucasica and from 6 to 8 alleles for modern cultivars. Specific alleles for the mentioned groups of pears were identified. UPGMA clustering revealed two distinct groups: one includes P. caucasica accessions and autochthonous Caucasian cultivars and the other group includes all cultivated European and Russian pear cultivar. The results support the hypothesis of an isolated gene pool formation of autochthonous pear cultivars of the North Caucasus and their probable origin from the wild P. caucasica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The karyotype of Camptochironomus pallidivittatus Edwards, 1929 (Diptera, Chironomidae) from six populations of the Lower Volga region and Central Caucasus (the northern macroslope) has been studied. In populations of C. pallidivittatus from the Central Caucasus, 11 banding sequences (BS) were found; one sequence, pal B10, was new for the species. In the Saratov population, 11 BS were also found, three of which were new for the species-pal A3, pal B11, and pal B12. The banding sequences detected for the first time have not yet been found in other parts of the area of this species and may be endemic to these regions. In the studied populations of C. pallidivittatus, banding sequences were found that were non standard, but fixed in the karyotype. This is indicative of some degree of chromosomal divergence. These banding sequences include pal A2.2 in arm A and pal B10.10 in arm B in the Central Caucasus region, as well as pal B2.2 and pal G2.2 in the Lower Volga region. Arms A, B, D, and G in the Central Caucasian populations and A, B, and D in the Saratov oblast were polymorphic. The composition of heterozygous sequences between populations from different regions coincided only in arm D (pal D1.2). In arms A and B, the set of heterozygous BS was different: pal A1.2 and pal B1.10 sequences were found in the Central Caucasian populations, and pal A1.3 and B11.12 were found in Saratov oblast. The number of genotypic combinations of C. pallidivittatus was higher in the Central Caucasus region, whereas the number of zygotic combinations was higher in the Saratov population. The percentage of heterozygous larvae in the Central Caucasian populations varied from 20 to 80, whereas all individuals in the Saratov population had heterozygous inversions. Zygotic combinations of larvae in all the studied populations were different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karyotype of the Chironomus nuditarsis Str. (Keyl, 1962) chironomids from central Caucasian populations located at different altitudes above the sea level (a.s.l.) was examined. Specific features of the inversion polymorphism of the high-mountain (more than 1000 m a.s.l.), foothill (500-1000 m a.s.l.), and plain (up to 500 m a.s.l.) populations were identified. A new chromosome banding sequence, ndt F2 (1g-e 7a-8c), which was endemic to Caucasian populations, was described. With the increase in the altitude of the reservoir a.s.l., the decrease in the frequency of ndt G1.2 and ndt B2.2 inversions and the number of inversions per individual and per arm was observed. In the high-mountain population, only the ndt G2.2 homozygotes were detected. The plain population is an interstitial population, while foothill and high-mountain populations are terminal. Cytogenetic distances between the high-mountain and other samples range from 0.174 to 0.223, which is higher than the mean interpopulation value for this species (0.138). The allochrony of the life cycle in aborigines larvae from the foothill population and aborigines from the high-mountain population can be caused by factors such as low high-mountain reservoir temperature. This factor increases the duration of the stages of larvae developmental, which leads to a reduced number of generations and results in a shift in the imago flight and mating timing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity has been analyzed in 22 ethnic groups of the Caucasus on the basis of data on Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers, as well as genome-wide data on autosomal single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). It has been found that the West Asian component is prevailing in all ethnic groups studied except for Nogays. This Near Eastern ancestral component has proved to be characteristic of Caucasian populations and almost entirely absent in their northern neighbors inhabiting the Eastern European Plain. Turkic-speaking populations, except Nogays, did not exhibit an increased proportion of Eastern Eurasian mtDNA or Y-chromosome haplogroups compared to some Abkhaz-Adyghe populations (Adygs and Kabardians). Genome-wide SNP analysis has also shown substantial differences of Nogays from all other Caucasian populations studied. However, the characteristic difference of Nogays from other populations of the Caucasus seems somewhat ambiguous in terms of the R1a1a-M17(M198) and R1b1b1-M73 haplogroups of the Y chromosome. The state of these haplogroups in Turkic-speaking populations of the Caucasus requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the genetic variation of eight aboriginal Daghestan ethnic groups based on data on the AB0 and Rhesus blood groups has been carried out in a total sample of 18348 subjects. The degree of genetic differentiation ( GST) and the levels of intraethnic ( HS) and interethnic ( HT) variations of Daghestan ethnic groups have been estimated at two hierarchical levels of the population system. Prevalence of intraethnic diversity over interethnic one has been found in Daghestan populations. The parameters of subdivision of Daghestan populations were compared with those for the populations of all other regions of the Caucasus and the Pamir. The population subdivision of ethnic groups of Daghestan and other regions of the Caucasus is lower than that of Pamir ethnic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

House mice carrying aberrant chromosome 1 with an insertion of homogeneously stained regions (HSR) have been studied. The mice were collected in the North Caucasus, Chita and Amur oblasts, Spitzbergen and Kunashir Islands, Altai krai, Khabarovsk krai, Primorye, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. In these mice, the aberrant chromosomes were assigned to the “Asian” type, i.e. they carried two HSR insertions. The aberrant chromosome 1 in house mice from different geographic regions was shown to differ in size of HSR, staining intensity, and some other features of Q-H, C, and G-banding, which suggests independent origin of this aberration in house mouse populations from different taxa and regions. A novel variant of chromosome 1 in mice of the subspecies M. m. wagneri was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]