Molecular population genetics of the male and female mitochondrial DNA molecules of the California sea mussel, Mytilus californianus.

ABSTRACT: The presence of two gender-associated mitochondrial genomes in marine mussels provides a unique opportunity to investigate the dynamics of mtDNA evolution without complications inherent in interspecific comparisons. Here, we assess the relative importance of selection, mutation, and differential constraint in shaping the patterns of polymorphism within and divergence between the male (M) and female (F) mitochondrial genomes of the California sea mussel, Mytilus californianus. Partial sequences were obtained from homologous regions of four genes (nad2, cox1, atp6, and nad5) totaling 2307 bp in length. The M and F mtDNA molecules of M. californianus exhibited extensive levels of nucleotide polymorphism and were more highly diverged than observed in other mytilids (overall Tamura-Nei distance

SUBMITTER: Ort BS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2034615 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature