IMIS

Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps
[ report an error in this record ]basket (1): add | show Print this page

one publication added to basket [215229]
Nuclear genomic sequences reveal that polar bears are an old and distinct bear lineage
Hailer, F.; Hallström, B.M.; Klassert, D.; Fain, S.R.; Leonard, J.A.; Arnason, U.; Janke, A. (2012). Nuclear genomic sequences reveal that polar bears are an old and distinct bear lineage. Science (Wash.) 336(6079): 344-347. dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1216424
In: Science (Washington). American Association for the Advancement of Science: New York, N.Y. ISSN 0036-8075; e-ISSN 1095-9203, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keyword
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 
  • Hailer, F.
  • Hallström, B.M.
  • Klassert, D.
  • Fain, S.R.
  • Leonard, J.A.
  • Arnason, U.
  • Janke, A.

Abstract
    Recent studies have shown that the polar bear matriline (mitochondrial DNA) evolved from a brown bear lineage since the late Pleistocene, potentially indicating rapid speciation and adaption to arctic conditions. Here, we present a high-resolution data set from multiple independent loci across the nuclear genomes of a broad sample of polar, brown, and black bears. Bayesian coalescent analyses place polar bears outside the brown bear clade and date the divergence much earlier, in the middle Pleistocene, about 600 (338 to 934) thousand years ago. This provides more time for polar bear evolution and confirms previous suggestions that polar bears carry introgressed brown bear mitochondrial DNA due to past hybridization. Our results highlight that multilocus genomic analyses are crucial for an accurate understanding of evolutionary history.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors