Fig. 3.

Heat map of genome wide GC landscapes of 55 vertebrate species. Sliding window means of GC content of predicted mRNAs were calculated as in Figs. 1 and 2. Data of 55 vertebrate genomes are presented in a heat map in which the genes were ordered on basis of the Homo sapiens (a) or Lepistosteus oculatus (b) reference genome. Vertebrate genomes were ordered on basis of GC similarities and numbered as follows: Mammals (1–21): 1 Homo sapiens; 2 Gorilla gorilla; 3 Ursus maritimus; 4 Ailuropoda melanoleuca; 5 Panthera tigris altaica; 6 Loxodonta Africana; 7 Rhinolophus sinicus; 8 Hipposideros armiger; 9 Sus scrofa; 10 Panthera pardus; 11 Odocoileus virginianus texanus; 12 Physeter catodon; 13 Miniopterus natalensis; 14 Myotis davidii; 15 Myotis brandtii; 16 Myotis lucifugus; 17 Pteropus vampyrus; 18 Mus musculus; 19 Phascolarctos cinereus; 20 Sarcophilus harrisii; 21 Monodelphis domestica; Reptiles (22–50): 22 Tinamus guttatus; 23 Calypte anna; 24 Columba livia; 25 Struthio camelus australis; 26 Apteryx australis mantelli; 27 Aptenodytes forsteri; 28 Aquila chrysaetos canadensis; 29 Anas platyrhynchos; 30 Anser cygnoides domesticus; 31 Corvus brachyrhynchos; 32 Lonchura striata domestica; 33 Parus major; 34 Pseudopodoces humilis; 35 Sturnus vulgaris; 36 Gallus gallus; 37 Coturnix japonica; 38 Alligator sinensis; 39 Alligator mississippiensis; 40 Gavialis gangeticus; 41 Crocodylus porosus; 42 Chelonia mydas; 43 Chrysemys picta; 44 Pelodiscus sinensis; 45 Gekko japonicas; 46 Pogona vitticeps; 47 Anolis carolinensis; 48 Python bivittatus; 49 Protobothrops mucrosquamatus; 50 Thamnophis sirtalis; Fish and amphibia 51–55): 51 Xenopus tropicalis; 52 Nanorana parkeri; 53 Lepisosteus oculatus; 54 Latimeria chalumnae; 55 Callorhinchus milii. This visual display captures the overall idea of conservation of GC poor and GC rich regions in vertebrate genomes and the appearance of lineage speficic GC accumulation, especially in mammals and in reptiles, including birds