Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol 3, 276-281, Copyright © 1986 by Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
WW de Jong
The amino acid sequence of the eye lens protein alpha-crystallin A of the
ring-tailed cat, Bassariscus astutus, has been determined. The sequence of
the Bassariscus alpha A chain, which is 173 residues long, was compared
with the previously determined set of 41 mammalian alpha A sequences. Among
the investigated carnivores (dog, cat, sloth bear, American mink, gray
seal, and California sea lion) the Bassariscus alpha A sequence exclusively
shares two amino acid replacements with the alpha A chain of the mink,
Mustela vison: 7 His----Gln and 61 Ile--- -Val. The Mustela and Bassariscus
alpha A sequences differ at only three positions and have no replacements
in common with any of the other investigated carnivore alpha A chains.
Furthermore, the replacement 7 His----Gln has only been found in three-toed
sloth, whereas 61 Ile----Val occurs scattered in three other taxa: pig,
rhinoceros, and prosimians. It thus is most parsimonious to join
Bassariscus and Mustela--and consequently their respective families,
Procyonidae and Mustelidae--as sister groups in the phylogenetic tree of
mammalian alpha A sequences.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Protein sequence evidence for monophyly of the carnivore families Procyonidae and Mustelidae
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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