Organization and variation of the Tetraonidae (Aves: Galliformes) mitochondrial DNA control region.

The mitochondrial DNA control region is the most polymorphic region of the mitochondrial genome. To infer the organization and variation of Tetraonidae mitochondrial DNA control region, the entire control region sequences of 18 species were analyzed. The length of the control region sequences ranged from 1127 bp (Bonasa sewerzowi) to 1156 bp (Centrocercus minimus). The average genetic distances among the species within the genera varied from 0.53% (Tympanuchus) to 9.42% (Bonasa). The average genetic distances showed insignificantly negative correlation with ts/tv. Five conserved sequence boxes in the domain II of Tetraonidae sequences were identified. The alignment of the Tetraonidae five boxes and CSB-1 sequences showed a few sequence variations. The results indicated that the genus Dendragapus might not be monophyletic.