“…On the basis of structural homology analysis of N. vison chromosomes and dozens of other mammalian species, consisting mainly of G band patterns comparison, fluorescence in situ hybridization, interspecies fluorescence in situ hybridization and comparative mapping of genes, the presence of 32-33 conserved segments has been demonstrated in mink chromosomes (HAMEISTER et al, 1997;CHOWDHARY et al, 1998), and a high degree of synteny and collinearity of gene arrangements on the chromosomes, indicating a high evolutionary conservation of the mammalian carnivore genomes (GRADOV et al, 1983;PERELMAN et al, 2005;FERGUSON-SMITH and TRIFONOV, 2007). KHLEBODAROVA et al (1995) have identified characteristic of American mink syntenic region on chromosome 14, encompassing gene loci for glutamic-pyruvate transaminase (GPT, EC 2.6.1.2), phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP, EC 3.1.3.18) and phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP, EC 3.1.3.3 ). It is assumed that this region, which was also found in mammals of other families, evolved in Mustelidae de novo (SEROV, 1998;SEROV and RUBSTOV, 1998).…”