[Molecular markers of nuclear DNA in the study of evolution and speciation process in an example of "Lacerta agilis complex" (Sauria: Lacertidae)].

In order to elucidate the molecular-genetic relations of some Lacerta s. str. lizard populations, subspecies and species in comparison with some other genera we used methods revealing four types of nuclear DNA markers. Among these were taxonprint, RAPD, Inter-MIR-PCR markers and also satellite DNA monomer sequences. The aim was to compare the phylogeny and systematics of this reptilian group based on morphological and molecular criteria. This problem has a general importance for understanding a speciation process. Our results show a good correlation between both approaches when genera and species levels were studied. Systematic status of five subspecies of L. agilis were supported but not in all cases, some subspecies have no meaningful genetic differences by three types of molecular markers, but all of them were differed by RAPD markers. The data confirm the subdivision of L. agilis populations into west and east clades proposed by other authors earlier on the basis of mitochondrial DNA and morphology. The population structure of one of the subspecies--L. agilis exigua, was studied on a number of populations distributed from Ural region up to Kabardino-Balkaria by IMP method. There were no significant differences among these 14 populations investigated. The data testify the rapid distribution of the species after the end of Pleistocene glaciation.

[Taxonoprint DNA analysis of certain lizard species from the Lacertidae family]. / Taksonoprintnyi analiz DNK nekotorykh vidov iashcherits semeistva Lacertidae.

It was earlier shown that electrophoretic patterns of the highly repetitive segments of DNA's of some animal species studied seem to have species specificity ("DNA taxonoprint method") [2]. In this paper the results of investigation of more than 20 lizard species of the Lacerta genus in comparison with representatives of some other genera and family are presented. It was shown that in taxonoprints there are one band, at least, but usually more bands common for all Lacerta species. Specimens of genus Podarcis have more similarity with genus Lacerta than genus Eremias. The representatives of Teiidae familie have no resemblance with family Lacertidae at all. Among Lacerta species there are 10, which form the separate group being very similar by most of the taxonoprints. This fact goes in line with hypothesis that 5 parthenogenetic species of this group evolve due to interspecies hybridization of another 5 bisexual species of this group. The other species studied have specific peculiarities in various taxonoprints permitting to draw some conclusions on their relations.