Variations of the nuclear DNA (interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein, IRBP) in the populations of Arvicola amphibius(Mammalia: Rodentia) distrubuted in Central and East Anatolia living in Turkiye

In this study, phylogenetic relationships and genetic differences between populations were investigated by determining the variations in nuclear DNA interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) gene sequences of Arvicola amphibius, a rodent adapted to living in aquatic habitats, living in Central and Eastern Anatolia. A total of 12 specific haplotypes were determined for the IRBP gene region. It was determined that the populations examined by Neighbour-Joining (NJ), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and network analyses formed two different geographical lineages, namely Central Anatolia and East Anatolia. In terms of IRBP gene sequencing, it was determined that the genetic differentiation was at a high level and the gene flow was at a low level between the populations constituting both geographical lineage groups. The genetic distance value calculated according to the Kimura 2-parameter indicated that there was genetic variation at the intraspecific level of variation among lineages rather than at the subspecies or species level. It is believed that the most significant agent in the formation of two different geographical lineage groups may be the mountain ranges forming the Anatolian Diagonal, which prevents gene flow between lineage groups.