Microsatellite polymorphism and genetic distances between the dog, red fox and arctic fox

Summary This study compared polymorphism of nine canine-derived microsatellites (MS) (CPH1, CPH3, CPH6, CPH11, 2004, 2010, 2140, 2168 and 2319) in three species of the family Canidae. The DNA samples of 151 dogs, 53 arctic foxes and 91 red foxes were examined. The canine-derived primers did not amplify two MS (CPH1 and CPH11) in genome samples of the arctic fox. The most polymorphic MS in the studied species was the one named 2319. For majority of the loci mean allele size was higher in the dog than in two fox species. The genetic distances between the species were estimated using three formulas: DS, Da and (σμ)2. The estimated distances between both fox species were the smallest, while those between the dog and the arctic fox were the largest.