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Molecular evidence from retroposons that whales form a clade within even-toed ungulates

Nature volume 388, pages 666–670 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

The origin of whales and their transition from terrestrial life to a fully aquatic existence has been studied in depth. Palaeontological1,2, morphological3 and molecular studies4,5,6,7 suggest that the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises) is more closely related to the order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates, including cows, camels and pigs) than to other ungulate orders. The traditional view that the order Artiodactyla is monophyletic has been challenged by molecular analyses of variations in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA5,6,7. We have characterized two families of short interspersed elements (SINEs) that were present exclusively in the genomes of whales, ruminants and hippopotamuses, but not in those of camels and pigs. We made an extensive survey of retropositional events that might have occurred during the divergence of whales and even-toed ungulates. We have characterized nine retropositional events of a SINE unit, each of which provides phylogenetic resolution of the relationships among whales, ruminants, hippopotamuses and pigs. Our data provide evidence that whales, ruminants and hippopotamuses form a monophyletic group.

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Figure 1: The two newly isolated families of SINEs, CHR-1 and CHR-2, were present exclusively in the genomes of whales, ruminants and hippopotamuses.
Figure 2: Analysis of the seven loci at which a SINE unit(s) was inserted during the evolution of cetaceans, ruminants and hippopotamuses: A, Pm52; B, Pm72; C, pgha3; D, c21-352; E, Gm5; F, aaa228; G, aaa792.
Figure 3: An alignment of sequences of the aaa792 locus in the cow (BT, Bos taurus), minke whale (BA, Balaenoptera acutorostrata), hippopotamus (HA, Hippopotamus amphibius) and bactrian camel (CB, Camelus bactrianus).
Figure 4: Phylogenetic relationships among cetaceans and artiodactyls, as deduced from the sites of insertion of SINEs.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Zoological Society of San Diego's Center and Y. Mukai in the Meat Hygenic Inspection Office in Ueda, Nagano prefecture for providing a sample of DNA from the lesser Malayan chevrotain and samples of DNA from calf, pig and sheep, respectively. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Specially Promoted Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Yokohama, 226, Kanagawa, Japan

    Mitsuru Shimamura, Kazuhiko Ohshima, Hideaki Abe & Norihiro Okada

  2. Animal Genome Research Group, National Institute of Animal Industry, 2 Ikenodai, Inashiki-gun, Kukisaki-machi, 305, Ibaraki, Japan

    Hiroshi Yasue

  3. Large Cetacean Section, National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, 5-7-1 Orido, Shimizu, 424, Shizuoka, Japan

    Hidehiro Kato & Toshiya Kishiro

  4. Genetic Ecology Section, The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-18 Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, 104, Tokyo, Japan

    Mutsuo Goto

  5. Chiba Zoological Park, 280 Minamoto-cho, Wakaba-ku, Chiba, 264, Japan

    Isao Munechika

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  1. Mitsuru Shimamura
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Correspondence to Norihiro Okada.

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Shimamura, M., Yasue, H., Ohshima, K. et al. Molecular evidence from retroposons that whales form a clade within even-toed ungulates. Nature 388, 666–670 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/41759

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