RESUMEN
From genetic point of view, differences between ancient and modern horses can be reconstructed by using the phylogeographic analysis of mitochondrial genomes and by studying phenotypically important nuclear loci. The variety of modern horse coat colors resulted from artificial selection indicates a high degree of domestication. We have conducted the phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA extracted from bone samples of six ancient horses from Tsaramburial in the Republic of Buryatia, and established that they belong to a haplogroup E by Achilli's classification. This haplogroup is found among modern horses of the Maremmano breed from Italy. Gray coat color different from wild type have been detected in two ancient horses, which demonstrates a sufficiently high domestication level of Buryat horses during the period I century BC to I century AD. The analysis of the mitochondrial genome hypervariable region fragments revealed that ancient Buryat horses belong to a haplotype X3 by Cieslak's classification, which is ancestral to the haplogroup X3 of modern horses in Mongolia, Tuva, and Buryatia.
Asunto(s)
Técnicas de Genotipaje , Haplotipos , Caballos/genética , Animales , Domesticación , Genoma Mitocondrial , Historia Antigua , SiberiaRESUMEN
Evolutionary genetics has reached a new level of research thanks to the opportunity to study the genomes of not only present-day but also of ancient organisms. The obtaining of reliable data when working with ancient DNA is possible only in the case of interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeologists, paleontologists, molecular geneticists, and bioinformaticians. Despite laborious and high-cost technologies, the results never cease to amaze and can not only fill the gaps in the knowledge of the evolutionary history of different species but can also review the existing ideas on population development and dynamics. In this review, we discuss the history of the development of investigative techniques in ancient DNA research and the most striking results of these studies, including the most recent achievements.
Asunto(s)
ADN/química , Fósiles , Paleontología/métodos , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN/métodos , Animales , Evolución Molecular , Humanos , Paleontología/tendencias , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN/tendenciasRESUMEN
The geographic and temporal origins of the domestic dog remain controversial, as genetic data suggest a domestication process in East Asia beginning 15,000 years ago, whereas the oldest doglike fossils are found in Europe and Siberia and date to >30,000 years ago. We analyzed the mitochondrial genomes of 18 prehistoric canids from Eurasia and the New World, along with a comprehensive panel of modern dogs and wolves. The mitochondrial genomes of all modern dogs are phylogenetically most closely related to either ancient or modern canids of Europe. Molecular dating suggests an onset of domestication there 18,800 to 32,100 years ago. These findings imply that domestic dogs are the culmination of a process that initiated with European hunter-gatherers and the canids with whom they interacted.
Asunto(s)
Animales Domésticos/genética , Perros/genética , Genoma Mitocondrial/genética , Animales , Secuencia de Bases , Cruzamiento , Europa (Continente) , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Filogenia , Lobos/genéticaRESUMEN
Multicolor banding approach, first introduced for human chromosomes only, was established as an optimal approach for karyotyping of murine chromosomes. Here we present the established mcb probe sets for all murine autosomes and the X-chromosome and review their potential application.
Asunto(s)
Bandeo Cromosómico/métodos , Pintura Cromosómica/métodos , Cromosomas de los Mamíferos , Animales , Bandeo Cromosómico/normas , Pintura Cromosómica/normas , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Cariotipificación , RatonesRESUMEN
Chromosome painting and G-banding analyses were used to delimit homologous chromosomal segments among 4 taxa of the hamsters genus Allocricetulus Argyropulo 1932 (Cricetidae, Murоidea, Rodentia)--A. curtatus (2n = 20), A. eversmanni eversmanni, A. eversmanni pseudocurtatus, and the hybrid A. eversmanni beljaevi × A. eversmanni pseudocurtatus (all 2n = 26). Comparative maps between the 4 karyotypes were established based on chromosome painting of chromosome-specific probes from the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus, 2n = 44). A putative ancestral karyotype for the genus Allocricetulus (AAK) was proposed and contains 12-13 ancestral autosomal elements. Integrated maps demonstrate extended conservation of syntenies within this rodent genus and show the predominant role of Robertsonian rearrangements in the karyotype evolution of the genus Allocricetulus. At the cytogenetic level, we clearly demonstrate karyological differences between karyotypes of species (A. curtatus vs. A. eversmanni) and subspecies A. e. eversmanni and A. e. beljaevi versus A. e. pseudocurtatus, but the karyotypes of A. e. eversmanni and A. e. beljaevi are identical at this level of resolution.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas de los Mamíferos/genética , Cricetinae/genética , Cariotipificación/métodos , Animales , Bandeo Cromosómico , Mapeo Cromosómico , Pintura Cromosómica , Sondas de ADN/genética , Evolución Molecular , Femenino , Reordenamiento Génico , Cariotipo , Masculino , Especificidad de la Especie , SinteníaRESUMEN
The order of Carnivora has been very well characterized with over 50 species analyzed by chromosome painting and with painting probe sets made for 9 Carnivora species. Representatives of almost all families have been studied with few exceptions (Otariidae, Odobenidae, Nandiniidae, Prionodontidae). The patterns of chromosome evolution in Carnivora are discussed here. Overall, many Carnivora species retained karyotypes that only slightly differ from the ancestral carnivore karyotype. However, there are at least 3 families in which the ancestral carnivore karyotype has been severely rearranged - Canidae, Ursidae and Mephitidae. Here we report chromosome painting of yet another Carnivora species with a highly rearranged karyotype, Genetta pardina. Recurrent rearrangements make it difficult to define the ancestral chromosomal arrangement in several instances. Only 2 species of pangolins (Pholidota), a sister order of Carnivora, have been studied by chromosome painting. Future use of whole-genome sequencing data is discussed in the context of solving the questions that are beyond resolution of conventional banding techniques and chromosome painting.
Asunto(s)
Carnívoros/clasificación , Carnívoros/genética , Animales , Canidae/clasificación , Canidae/genética , Gatos , Pintura Cromosómica , Cromosomas de los Mamíferos/genética , Perros , Evolución Molecular , Felidae/clasificación , Felidae/genética , Femenino , Humanos , Cariotipo , Masculino , Mephitidae/clasificación , Mephitidae/genética , Mustelidae/clasificación , Mustelidae/genética , Filogenia , Procyonidae/clasificación , Procyonidae/genética , Especificidad de la Especie , Ursidae/clasificación , Ursidae/genética , Viverridae/clasificación , Viverridae/genéticaRESUMEN
Genome diversity has long been studied from the comparative cytogenetic perspective. Early workers documented differences between species in diploid chromosome number and fundamental number. Banding methods allowed more detailed descriptions of between-species rearrangements and classes of differentially staining chromosome material. The infusion of molecular methods into cytogenetics provided a third revolution, which is still not exhausted. Chromosome painting has provided a global view of the translocation history of mammalian genome evolution, well summarized in the contributions to this special volume. More recently, FISH of cloned DNA has provided details on defining breakpoint and intrachromosomal marker order, which have helped to document inversions and centromere repositioning. The most recent trend in comparative molecular cytogenetics is to integrate sequencing information in order to formulate and test reconstructions of ancestral genomes and phylogenomic hypotheses derived from comparative cytogenetics. The integration of comparative cytogenetics and sequencing promises to provide an understanding of what drives chromosome rearrangements and genome evolution in general. We believe that the contributions in this volume, in no small way, point the way to the next phase in cytogenetic studies.
Asunto(s)
Análisis Citogenético , Mamíferos/genética , Animales , Aves/genética , Pintura Cromosómica/historia , Análisis Citogenético/historia , Análisis Citogenético/tendencias , Código de Barras del ADN Taxonómico , Evolución Molecular , Genómica , Historia del Siglo XX , Historia del Siglo XXI , Humanos , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ/historia , Cariotipificación , Modelos Genéticos , Reptiles/genéticaRESUMEN
A comparative genomic analysis was carried out in the mole vole sibling species Ellobius tancrei and E. talpinus. Performing fluorescent in situ hybridisation (Zoo-FISH) using chromosome paints from the field vole Microtus agrestis showed no differences in the allocation of syntenic groups in the karyotypes of these sibling species. The only difference between their karyotypes was the position of the centromere in one pair of chromosomes, which is assumed to be the result of an inversion. To verify this hypothesis, we analysed chromosome synapsis in prophase I of meiosis. We utilised a synaptonemal complex (SC) surface-spreading technique to visualise the process of chromosome synapsis in the spermatocytes and oocytes of first-generation hybrids and back-crosses of these sibling species. In prophase I of meiosis, immunocytochemical and electron microscopy analyses revealed that all bivalents had been fully adjusted. Even in the case of a submetacentric-acrocentric bivalent with different centromere locations, synapsis of SC lateral elements was fulfilled along the entire length of the chromosomes and the formation of an inversion loop was not observed. We hypothesise that a possible mechanism leading to the change in centromere position is the repositioning and/or generation of a neocentromere. Despite the great similarity in the karyotypes of these sibling species, they exhibited significant genomic diversification, which manifested as hybrid sterility and parous female death.
Asunto(s)
Arvicolinae/genética , Hibridación Genómica Comparativa , Hibridación Genética , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Complejo Sinaptonémico/genética , Animales , Arvicolinae/clasificación , Línea Celular , Bandeo Cromosómico , Femenino , Cariotipificación , Masculino , Microscopía Fluorescente , Complejo Sinaptonémico/ultraestructuraRESUMEN
Rodentia is the most species-rich mammalian order and includes several important laboratory model species. The amount of new information on karyotypic and phylogenetic relations within and among rodent taxa is rapidly increasing, but a synthesis of these data is currently lacking. Here, we have integrated information drawn from conventional banding studies, recent comparative painting investigations and molecular phylogenetic reconstructions of different rodent taxa. This permitted a revision of several ancestral karyotypic reconstructions, and a more accurate depiction of rodent chromosomal evolution.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas de los Mamíferos/genética , Evolución Molecular , Roedores/genética , Animales , Bandeo Cromosómico , Pintura Cromosómica , Especiación Genética , Cariotipo , FilogeniaRESUMEN
Chromosomal evolution in carnivores has been revisited extensively using cross-species chromosome painting. Painting probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of the domestic dog, which has one of the most rearranged karyotypes in mammals and the highest dipoid number (2n=78) in carnivores, are a powerful tool in detecting both evolutionary intra- and inter-chromosomal rearrangements. However, only a few comparative maps have been established between dog and other non-Canidae species. Here, we extended cross-species painting with dog probes to seven more species representing six carnivore families: Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), the stone marten (Martes foina), the small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), the Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphrodites), Javan mongoose (Hepestes javanicas), the raccoon (Procyon lotor) and the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The numbers and positions of intra-chromosomal rearrangements were found to differ among these carnivore species. A comparative map between human and stone marten, and a map among the Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis), stone marten and human were also established to facilitate outgroup comparison and to integrate comparative maps between stone marten and other carnivores with such maps between human and other species. These comparative maps give further insight into genome evolution and karyotype phylogenetic relationships among carnivores, and will facilitate the transfer of gene mapping data from human, domestic dog and cat to other species.
Asunto(s)
Carnívoros/genética , Pintura Cromosómica , Cromosomas de los Mamíferos/genética , Evolución Molecular , Cariotipo , Animales , Células Cultivadas , Bandeo Cromosómico , Inversión Cromosómica , Mapeo Cromosómico , Filogenia , Homología de Secuencia de Ácido NucleicoRESUMEN
The genus Sorex is one of the most successful genera of Eulipotyphla. Species of this genus are characterized by a striking chromosome variability including XY1Y2 sex chromosome systems and exceptional chromosomal polymorphisms within and between populations. To study chromosomal evolution of the genus in detail, we performed cross-species chromosome painting of 7 Sorex species with S. granarius and S. araneus whole-chromosome probes and found that the tundra shrew S. tundrensis has the most rearranged karyotype among these. We reconstructed robust phylogeny of the genus Sorex based on revealed conserved chromosomal segments and syntenic associations. About 16 rearrangements led to formation of 2 major Palearctic groups after their divergence from the common ancestor: the S. araneus group (10 fusions and 1 fission) and the S. minutus group (5 fusions). Further chromosomal evolution of the 12 species inside the groups, including 5 previously investigated species, was accompanied by multiple reshuffling events: 39 fusions, 20 centromere shifts and 10 fissions. The rate of chromosomal exchanges upon formation of the genus was close to the average rate for eutherians, but increased during recent (about 6-3 million years ago) speciation within Sorex. We propose that a plausible ancestral Sorex karyotype consists of 56 elements. It underwent 20 chromosome rearrangements from the boreoeutherian ancestor, with 14 chromosomes retaining the conserved state. The set of genus-specific chromosome signatures was drawn from the human (HSA)-shrew comparative map (HSA3/12/22, 8/19/3/21, 2/13, 3/18, 11/17, 12/15 and 1/12/22). The syntenic association HSA4/20, that was previously proposed as a common trait of all Eulipotyphla species, is shown here to be an apomorphic trait of S. araneus.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas/química , Citogenética/métodos , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ/métodos , Cariotipificación/métodos , Filogeografía/métodos , Musarañas , Animales , Evolución Biológica , Bandeo Cromosómico , Pintura Cromosómica , Cromosomas/genética , Especiación Genética , Genoma , Humanos , Filogenia , Musarañas/clasificación , Musarañas/genética , SinteníaRESUMEN
Vespertilionidae is the largest chiropteran family that comprises species of different specialization and wide geographic distribution. Up to now, only a few vespertilionid species have been studied by molecular cytogenetic approaches. Here, we have investigated the karyotypic relationships of 4 Vespertilionidae species from Siberia by G-banding and comparative chromosome painting. Painting probes from Aselliscus stoliczkanus were used to establish interspecific homologous chromosomal segments in Myotis dasycneme (2n = 44), Murina hilgendorfi (2n = 44), Plecotus auritus (2n = 32), and Vespertilio murinus (2n = 38). Robertsonian translocations and a few inversions differentiated the karyotypes of the examined species. Painting of P. auritus karyotype with human probes revealed 3 previously undetected cryptic segments homologous to human chromosomes (Homo sapiens, HSA) 8, 15, and 19, respectively. As a consequence, the existence of 2 HSA 4 + 8 syntenies in the P. auritus karyotype has been proven. In addition, a pericentric inversion or centromere shift was revealed on the smallest metacentric P. auritus chromosome 16/17 using the HSA 16 probe explaining the different G-banding pattern in comparison to the homologous Myotis chromosome 16/17.
Asunto(s)
Quirópteros/genética , Pintura Cromosómica , Animales , Línea Celular , Bandeo Cromosómico , Cromosomas Humanos , Evolución Molecular , Humanos , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Cariotipificación , SiberiaRESUMEN
Comparative genomic data for ochotonids (pikas) are important for understanding the karyotype evolution of lagomorphs. Here, we have established the first genome-wide chromosomal homologies between human and the Forrest's pika (Ochotona forresti, 2n = 54) by cross-species chromosome painting. Integration of our map with the published comparative chromosome map between human and rabbit has enabled the establishment of an indirect homology map between Forrest's pika and domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, 2n = 44), representing the 2 Lagomorpha families: Leporidae and Ochotonidae. Our results demonstrate that (1) most of the proposed ancestral eutherian syntenies or syntenic associations have been retained in the O. forresti genome; (2) the HSA1/10p association, one of the 2 signature rearrangements that were proposed to support the grouping of the orders Lagomorpha and Rodentia into a monophyletic clade called Glires, is also present in the O. forresti genome; and (3) Robertsonian translocations have contributed to the karyotype differences between O. forresti and O. cuniculus.
Asunto(s)
Mapeo Cromosómico , Pintura Cromosómica , Genoma , Lagomorpha/genética , Animales , Cariotipificación , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
The Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) is one of a few deer species presumably preserving the ancestral cervid karyotype. The comparative genomic data of the Siberian roe deer are critical for our understanding of the karyotypic relationships within artiodactyls. We have established chromosomal homologies between the Siberian roe deer and the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) by cross-species chromosome painting with dromedary chromosome-specific painting probes. Dromedary chromosome paints detected 53 autosomal homologies in the genome of the Siberian roe deer. The identification of chromosomal homologies between the Siberian roe deer and cattle resulted from previously detected cattle-dromedary homologies. We have found 8 chromosomal rearrangements (6 fissions in the Siberian roe deer, 1 fission in the cattle and 1 inversion on the CPY11) that have separated the karyotypes of the cattle and the Siberian roe deer. The inversion on CPY11 might be an apomorphic trait of cervids, since we detected its presence in the gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira). Thus our data further prove the scenario of chromosomal rearrangements that was previously proposed and add some new data.
Asunto(s)
Camelus/genética , Ciervos/genética , Animales , Bovinos/genética , Mapeo Cromosómico , Pintura Cromosómica/métodos , Hibridación Genómica Comparativa , Citocromos/genética , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica/métodos , Reordenamiento Génico/genética , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Cariotipificación , Masculino , PinturasRESUMEN
Considering the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis, GCA, 2n = 30) as a primitive species, its comparative genomic data are critical for our understanding of the karyotype evolution of pecorans. Here, we have established genome-wide chromosomal homologies between giraffe, Chinese muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi, MRE, 2n = 46) and human (Homo sapiens, HSA, 2n = 46) with whole sets of chromosome-specific paints from Chinese muntjac and human, in addition to providing a high-resolution G-banding karyotype of giraffe. Chinese muntjac and human chromosome paints detected 32 and 45 autosomal homologs in the genome of giraffe, respectively. Our results suggest that it would require at least thirteen fissions, six fusions and three intrachromosomal rearrangements to 'transform' the 2n = 44 eutherian ancestral karyotype to the 2n = 58 pecoran ancestral karyotype. During giraffe evolution, some ancestral eutherian syntenies (i.e. association of HSA3/21, 4/8, 7/16, 14/15, 16/19 and two forms of 12/22) have been retained, while several derived syntenies (i.e. associations of human homologous segments 2/1, 2/9, 5/19, 4/12/22, 8/9, and 10/20) have been produced. The reduction of chromosome number in giraffe from the 2n = 58 pecoran ancestral karyotype could be primarily attributed to extensive Robertsonian translocations of ancestral chromosomal segments. More complex chromosomal rearrangements (including tandem fusion, centromere repositioning and pericentric inversion) have happened during the evolution of GCA2 and GCA8.
Asunto(s)
Evolución Biológica , Rumiantes/genética , Animales , Línea Celular , Pintura Cromosómica , Cromosomas , Humanos , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Cariotipificación , Masculino , Metafase/genéticaRESUMEN
The karyotypic relationships of skunks (Mephitidae) with other major clades of carnivores are not yet established. Here, multi-directional chromosome painting was used to reveal the karyological relationships among skunks and between Mephitidae (skunks) and Procyonidae (raccoons). Representative species from three genera of Mephitidae (Mephitis mephitis, 2n = 50; Mephitis macroura, 2n = 50; Conepatus leuconotus, 2n = 46; Spilogale gracilis, 2n = 60) and one species of Procyonidae (Procyon lotor, 2n = 38) were studied. Chromosomal homology was mapped by hybridization of five sets of whole-chromosome paints derived from stone marten (Martes foina, 2n = 38), cat, skunks (M. mephitis; M. macroura) and human. The karyotype of the raccoon is highly conserved and identical to the hypothetical ancestral musteloid karyotype, suggesting that procyonids have a particular importance for establishing the karyological evolution within the caniforms. Ten fission events and five fusion events are necessary to generate the ancestral skunk karyotype from the ancestral carnivore karyotype. Our results show that Mephitidae joins Canidae and Ursidae as the third family of carnivores that are characterized by a high rate of karyotype evolution. Shared derived chromosomal fusion of stone marten chromosomes 6 and 14 phylogenetically links the American hog-nosed skunk and eastern spotted skunk.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas de los Mamíferos/genética , Reordenamiento Génico/genética , Mephitidae/genética , Filogenia , Animales , Pintura Cromosómica , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Cariotipificación , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
B chromosomes are often considered to be one of the most mysterious elements of karyotypes (Camacho, 2004). It is generally believed that mammalian B chromosomes do not contain any protein coding genes. The discovery of a conserved KIT gene in Canidae B chromosomes has changed this view. Here we performed analysis of sequences surrounding KIT in B chromosomes of the fox and raccoon dog. The presence of the RPL23A pseudogene was shown in canid B chromosomes. The 3' end fragment of the KDR gene was found in raccoon dog B chromosomes. The size of the B-specific fragment homologous to the autosome fragment was estimated to be a minimum of 480 kbp in both species. The origin and evolution of B chromosomes in Canidae are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Mapeo Cromosómico/métodos , Cromosomas/ultraestructura , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-kit/genética , Animales , Bandeo Cromosómico , Perros , Zorros , Biblioteca de Genes , Hibridación Fluorescente in Situ , Cariotipificación , Modelos Genéticos , Perros MapacheRESUMEN
The mole vole Ellobius lutescens is an interesting animal, not only concerning its sex determination mechanism without the Y-chromosomal Sry gene, that triggers sex determination in nearly all other mammalian species, but also regarding the karyotype with an odd number of chromosomes, being identical in male and female animals. The odd chromosome represents the X chromosome, and therefore, even males do not have a Y chromosome. We present an overview of a search for candidate genes of male sex determination in the mole vole Ellobius lutescens. A singular X raises questions about the need for X chromosome inactivation in female cells. We present preliminary data that support a hypothesis that the E. lutescens Xist gene may be degenerated and thus non-functional.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas Sexuales/genética , Procesos de Determinación del Sexo , Animales , Arvicolinae , Femenino , Genómica/métodos , MasculinoRESUMEN
To investigate the karyotypic relationships between Chinese muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and gayal (Bos frontalis), a complete set of Chinese muntjac chromosome-specific painting probes has been assigned to G-banded chromosomes of these three species. Sixteen autosomal probes (i.e. 6-10, 12-22) of the Chinese muntjac each delineated one pair of conserved segments in the forest musk deer and gayal, respectively. The remaining six autosomal probes (1-5, and 11) each delineated two to five pairs of conserved segments. In total, the 22 autosomal painting probes of Chinese muntjac delineated 33 and 34 conserved chromosomal segments in the genomes of forest musk deer and gayal, respectively. The combined analysis of comparative chromosome painting and G-band comparison reveals that most interspecific homologous segments show a high degree of conservation in G-banding patterns. Eleven chromosome fissions and five chromosome fusions differentiate the karyotypes of Chinese muntjac and forest musk deer; twelve chromosome fissions and six fusions are required to convert the Chinese muntjac karyotype to that of gayal; one chromosome fission and one fusion separate the forest musk deer and gayal. The musk deer has retained a highly conserved karyotype that closely resembles the proposed ancestral pecoran karyotype but shares none of the rearrangements characteristic for the Cervidae and Bovidae. Our results substantiate that chromosomes 1-5 and 11 of Chinese muntjac originated through exclusive centromere-to-telomere fusions of ancestral acrocentric chromosomes.
Asunto(s)
Cromosomas de los Mamíferos/genética , Ciervos/genética , Ciervo Muntjac/genética , Animales , Bovinos , Línea Celular , China , Bandeo Cromosómico/métodos , Mapeo Cromosómico/métodos , Pintura Cromosómica/métodos , Sondas de ADN/genética , Fibroblastos/química , Fibroblastos/citología , Fibroblastos/metabolismo , CariotipificaciónRESUMEN
Multidirectional comparative chromosome painting was used to investigate the karyotypic relationships among representative species from three Feliformia families of the order Carnivora (Viverridae, Hyaenidae and Felidae). Complete sets of painting probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of the domestic dog, American mink, and human were hybridized onto metaphases of the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta, 2n = 40) and masked palm civet (Paguma larvata, 2n = 44). Extensive chromosomal conservation is evident in these two species when compared with the cat karyotype, and only a few events of chromosome fusion, fission and inversion differentiate the karyotypes of these Feliformia species. The comparative chromosome painting data have enabled the integration of the hyena and palm civet chromosomes into the previously established comparative map among the domestic cat, domestic dog, American mink and human and improved our understanding on the karyotype phylogeny of Feliformia species.