Synonymous substitution rates in Drosophila: mitochondrial versus nuclear genes

Mitogenome selection in the evolution of key ecological strategies in the ancient hexapod class Collembola

A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is how natural selection and environmental pressures shape the mitochondrial genomic architectures of organisms. Mitochondria play a pivotal role in cellular respiration and aerobic metabolism, making their genomes functionally highly constrained. Evaluating selective pressures on mitochondrial genes can provide functional and ecological insights into the evolution of organisms. Collembola (springtails) are an ancient hexapod group that includes the oldest terrestrial arthropods in the fossil record, and that are closely associated with soil environments. Of interest is the diversity of habitat stratification preferences (life forms) exhibited by different species within the group. To understand whether signals of positive selection are linked to the evolution of life forms, we analysed 32 published Collembola mitogenomes in a phylomitogenomic framework. We found no evidence that signatures of selection are correlated with the evolution of novel life forms, but rather that mutations have accumulated as a function of time. Our results highlight the importance of nuclear-mitochondrial interactions in the evolution of collembolan life forms and that mitochondrial genomic data should be interpreted with caution, as complex selection signals may complicate evolutionary inferences.

The Mitochondrial Genome of the Phytopathogenic Fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana and the Utility of Mitochondrial Genome to Infer Phylogeny of Dothideomycetes

A number of species in Bipolaris are important plant pathogens. Due to a limited number of synapomorphic characters, it is difficult to perform species identification and to estimate phylogeny of Bipolaris based solely on morphology. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of Bipolaris sorokiniana, and presented the detailed annotation of the genome. The B. sorokiniana mitochondrial genome is 137,775 bp long, and contains two ribosomal RNA genes, 12 core protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes. In addition, two ribosomal protein genes (rps3 gene and rps5 gene) and the fungal mitochondrial RNase P gene (rnpB) are identified. The large genome size is mostly determined by the presence of numerous intronic and intergenic regions. A total of 28 introns are inserted in eight core protein-coding genes. Together with the published mitochondrial genome sequences, we conducted a preliminary phylogenetic inference of Dothideomycetes under various datasets and substitution models. The monophyly of Capnodiales, Botryosphaeriales and Pleosporales are consistently supported in all analyses. The Venturiaceae forms an independent lineage, with a distant phylogenetic relationship to Pleosporales. At the family level, the Mycosphaerellaceae, Botryosphaeriaceae. Phaeosphaeriaceae, and Pleosporaceae are recognized in the majority of trees.

Genetic Variation of the Long-Legged Flies Phacaspis mitis Complex (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) in Peninsular Thailand Inferred From Three Mitochondrial Genes

Phacaspis (Meuffels and Grootaert 1988) is a true marine dolichopodid fly genus. They are common on the mud flats in the front of mangroves where they deal with extreme conditions. The genus is represented in southern Thailand by Phacaspis mitis (Grootaert and Meuffels 2001) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae). Previous studies have focused on both taxonomy and classification of this genus, but there are a few studies focusing on this species in terms of molecular genetics. The objective of the present study was to investigate genetic variation and phylogenetic relationships of P. mitis using ribosomal DNA subunit 12S, ribosomal DNA subunit 16S, and cytochrome oxidase subunit I of mitochondrial genes. The specimens were collected in six coastal provinces from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The phylogenetic relationship of combined mitochondrial genes revealed that P. mitis in peninsular Thailand is a monophyletic group that can be divided into two distinct clades. According to the haplotype network, 16 haplotype patterns were observed in P. mitis, but P. mitis was separated into two major haplotype networks. In addition, a positive correlation between genetic distance (FST) and geographical distance (km) was found among the populations of peninsular Thailand. The level of genetic differentiation between populations is influenced by geographic isolation. Moreover, P. mitis arose in late Eocene (35.5 Mya) and it diversified during the Plio-Pleistocene (3.14 Mya). Although, P. mitis is divided into two populations in this study, it is a well-supported monophyletic group.

Cellular and population level processes influence the rate, accumulation and observed frequency of inherited and somatic mtDNA mutations

Mitochondria are found in all animals and have the unique feature of containing multiple copies of their own small, circular DNA genome (mtDNA). The rate and pattern of mutation accumulation in the mtDNA are influenced by molecular, cellular and population level processes. We distinguish between inherited and somatic mtDNA mutations and review evidence for the often-made assumption that mutations accumulate at a higher rate in mtDNA than in nuclear DNA (nDNA). We conclude that the whole genome mutation accumulation rate is higher for mtDNA than for nDNA but include the caveat that rates overlap considerably between the individual mtDNA- and nDNA-encoded genes. Next, we discuss the postulated causal mechanisms for the high rate of mtDNA mutation accumulation in both inheritance and in somatic cells. Perhaps unexpectedly, mtDNA is resilient to many mutagens of nDNA but is prone to errors of replication. We then consider the influence of maternal inheritance, recombination and selection on the observed accumulation pattern of inherited mtDNA mutations. Finally, we discuss environmental influences of temperature and diet on the observed frequency of inherited and somatic mtDNA mutations. We conclude that it is necessary to understand the cellular processes to fully interpret the pattern of mutations and how they influence our interpretations of evolution and disease.

Application of DNA barcoding for identifying forensically relevant Diptera from northern Thailand

In recent decades, forensic entomology has become a useful tool in criminal investigations all over the world. Species-specific identification of flies plays an important role in this field and is obligatory for accurate calculation of the post-mortem interval. However, not all important colonizers of a corpse can be identified by common morphological keys. Due to similar morphology and the lack of keys for some taxa, especially for immature stages, DNA barcoding has become more popular during the last recent years. This development is particularly important for countries like Thailand, in which forensic entomology is a newly developing research area and which faces several challenges such as a high biodiversity of fly species. The most commonly used barcoding region in forensic entomology, the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (coI) gene, as well as a 1000-bp-long region of the 28S nuclear rRNA gene, was used to analyze and establish the molecular barcodes of 13 different species of flies of forensic relevance in northern Thailand.

Genetic population structure of polychaeta Neanthes glandicincta (Nereididae) of the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, Hong Kong

Neanthes glandicincta (Nereididae, Polychaeta) is the first numerically dominant benthic infauna in the Mai Po international Ramsar site, Hong Kong and also an economically important species for food source of birds and fishes. In present study, highly conserved nuclear ribosomal DNA (SSU and LSU rDNA) and mitochondrial COI gene were employed to study the population structure of N. glandicincta in the subtropical mudflat. The specimens were collected from five localities in February 2006, February-August 2007 and preserved at -80 °C, methanol or formalin, respectively. DNA extraction efficiency was the highest in fresh materials and lowest in formalin-fixed samples. The 18S (1774 bp), 28S D1 (383 bp) and COI genes were sequenced and analyzed. Both 18S and 28S D1 rDNA were highly conserved and showed no difference among the populations, whereas COI gene exhibited relatively high-level intraspecific polymorphism (2.2 %). The population from onshore and near mangrove station was phylogenetic different from other sites, indicating restricted gene exchange between the region of river mouth and mangrove forest. The mangrove may form a barrier for the dispersal of pelagic/benthic larvae of the population, which indicates that the population genetic difference is related to different habitats.

Biogeography of Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in East and Southeast Asia

The causes of high biological diversity in biodiversity hotspots have long been a major subject of study in conservation biology. To investigate this matter, we conducted a phylogeographic study of five Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) species from East and Southeast Asia: Drosophila albomicans Duda, D. formosana Duda, D. immigrans Sturtevant, D. melanogaster Meigen, and D. simulans Sturtevant. We collected 185 samples from 28 localities in eight countries. From each collected individual, we sequenced the autosomal extra sex comb gene (esc) and seven mitochondrial genes, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrate-reductase dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4), ND4L, tRNA-His, tRNA-Pro, tRNA-Thr, partial ND5, and partial ND6. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum- likelihood and Bayesian methods revealed interesting population structure and identified the existence of two distinct D. formosana lineages (Southeast Asian and Taiwanese populations). Genetic differentiation among groups of D. immigrans suggests the possibility of endemic speciation in Taiwan. In contrast, D. melanogaster remained one extensively large population throughout East and Southeast Asia, including nearby islets. A molecular clock was used to estimate divergence times, which were compared with past geographical events to infer evolutionary scenarios. Our findings suggest that interglacial periods may have caused population isolation, thus enhancing population differentiation more strongly for some of the Drosophila species. The population structure of each Drosophila species in East and Southeast Asia has been influenced by past geographic events.

The queuine micronutrient: charting a course from microbe to man

Micronutrients from the diet and gut microbiota are essential to human health and wellbeing. Arguably, among the most intriguing and enigmatic of these micronutrients is queuine, an elaborate 7-deazaguanine derivative made exclusively by eubacteria and salvaged by animal, plant and fungal species. In eubacteria and eukaryotes, queuine is found as the sugar nucleotide queuosine within the anticodon loop of transfer RNA isoacceptors for the amino acids tyrosine, asparagine, aspartic acid and histidine. The physiological requirement for the ancient queuine molecule and queuosine modified transfer RNA has been the subject of varied scientific interrogations for over four decades, establishing relationships to development, proliferation, metabolism, cancer, and tyrosine biosynthesis in eukaryotes and to invasion and proliferation in pathogenic bacteria, in addition to ribosomal frameshifting in viruses. These varied effects may be rationalized by an important, if ill-defined, contribution to protein translation or may manifest from other presently unidentified mechanisms. This article will examine the current understanding of queuine uptake, tRNA incorporation and salvage by eukaryotic organisms and consider some of the physiological consequence arising from deficiency in this elusive and lesser-recognized micronutrient.

The effects of island forest restoration on open habitat specialists: the endangered weevilHadramphus spinipennisBroun and its host-plantAciphylla dieffenbachiiKirk

Human alteration of islands has made restoration a key part of conservation management. As islands are restored to their original state, species interactions change and some populations may be impacted. In this study we examine the coxella weevil, (Hadramphus spinipennis Broun) and its host-plant Dieffenbach’s speargrass (Aciphylla dieffenbachii Kirk), which are both open habitat specialists with populations on Mangere and Rangatira Islands, Chathams, New Zealand. Both of these islands were heavily impacted by the introduction of livestock; the majority of the forest was removed and the weevil populations declined due to the palatability of their host-plant to livestock. An intensive reforestation program was established on both islands over 50 years ago but the potential impacts of this restoration project on the already endangered H. spinipennis are poorly understood. We combined genetic and population data from 1995 and 2010–2011 to determine the health and status of these species on both islands. There was some genetic variation between the weevil populations on each island but little variation within the species as a whole. The interactions between the weevil and its host-plant populations appear to remain intact on Mangere, despite forest regeneration. A decline in weevils and host-plant on Rangatira does not appear to be caused by canopy regrowth. We recommend that (1) these populations be monitored for ongoing effects of long-term reforestation, (2) the cause of the decline on Rangatira be investigated, and (3) the two populations of weevils be conserved as separate evolutionarily significant units.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome of Bactrocera minax (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The complete 16,043 bp mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Bactrocera minax (Diptera: Tephritidae) has been sequenced. The genome encodes 37 genes usually found in insect mitogenomes. The mitogenome information for B. minax was compared to the homologous sequences of Bactrocera oleae, Bactrocera tryoni, Bactrocera philippinensis, Bactrocera carambolae, Bactrocera papayae, Bactrocera dorsalis, Bactrocera correcta, Bactrocera cucurbitae and Ceratitis capitata. The analysis indicated the structure and organization are typical of, and similar to, the nine closely related species mentioned above, although it contains the lowest genome-wide A+T content (67.3%). Four short intergenic spacers with a high degree of conservation among the nine tephritid species mentioned above and B. minax were observed, which also have clear counterparts in the control regions (CRs). Correlation analysis among these ten tephritid species revealed close positive correlation between the A+T content of zero-fold degenerate sites (P0FD), the ratio of nucleotide substitution frequency at P0FD sites to all degenerate sites (zero-fold degenerate sites, two-fold degenerate sites and four-fold degenerate sites) and amino acid sequence distance (ASD) were found. Further, significant positive correlation was observed between the A+T content of four-fold degenerate sites (P4FD) and the ratio of nucleotide substitution frequency at P4FD sites to all degenerate sites; however, we found significant negative correlation between ASD and the A+T content of P4FD, and the ratio of nucleotide substitution frequency at P4FD sites to all degenerate sites. A higher nucleotide substitution frequency at non-synonymous sites compared to synonymous sites was observed in nad4, the first time that has been observed in an insect mitogenome. A poly(T) stretch at the 5' end of the CR followed by a [TA(A)]n-like stretch was also found. In addition, a highly conserved G+A-rich sequence block was observed in front of the poly(T) stretch among the ten tephritid species and two tandem repeats were present in the CR.

Sequential adaptive introgression of the mitochondrial genome in Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila santomea

Interspecific hybridization provides the unique opportunity for species to tap into genetic variation present in a closely related species and potentially take advantage of beneficial alleles. It has become increasingly clear that when hybridization occurs, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) often crosses species boundaries, raising the possibility that it could serve as a recurrent target of natural selection and source of species' adaptations. Here we report the sequences of 46 complete mitochondrial genomes of Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila santomea, two sister species known to produce hybrids in nature (∼3%). At least two independent events of mtDNA introgression are uncovered in this study, including an early invasion of the D. yakuba mitochondrial genome that fully replaced the D. santomea mtDNA native haplotypes and a more recent, ongoing event centred in the hybrid zone. Interestingly, this recent introgression event bears the signature of Darwinian natural selection, and the selective haplotype can be found at low frequency in Africa mainland populations of D. yakuba. We put forward the possibility that, because the effective population size of D. santomea is smaller than that of D. yakuba, the faster accumulation of mildly deleterious mutations associated with Muller's ratchet in the former species may have facilitated the replacement of the mutationally loaded mitochondrial genome of D.

Molecular subtyping of Blastocystis spp. using a new rDNA marker from the mitochondria-like organelle genome

Blastocystis spp. are common anaerobic intestinal protozoa found in both human and animals. They are characterized by a high genetic diversity with at least 17 subtypes (STs) that have been described on the basis of a 600 bp 'barcoding region' from the 18S rDNA gene. However, analysis of the recently sequenced genome of a Blastocystis ST7 isolate (strain B) revealed the presence of multiple variable copies of the 18S rDNA gene, with 17 completely assembled copies. Comparison of the barcoding region from these 17 copies allowed us to classify the 18S rDNA sequences into 6 clusters, each cluster containing identical sequences. Surprisingly, 4 of these clusters had the highest homology with 18S rDNA sequences from 2 other Blastocystis ST7 isolates referred as QQ98-4 and H. These results suggest that the 18S rDNA gene is not the marker of choice to discriminate between strains within STs. In the present study, we identified a single-copy subtyping rDNA marker in the genome of the mitochondria-like organelles (MLOs). Using a partial sequence of the MLO rDNA, we successfully subtyped 66 isolates from both human and animals belonging to Blastocystis ST1 to ST10. Our results also indicate that this mitochondrial marker could be useful to detect co-infections by different isolates of a same ST.

Introgression in the Drosophila subobscura--D. Madeirensis sister species: evidence of gene flow in nuclear genes despite mitochondrial differentiation

Species hybridization, and thus the potential for gene flow, was once viewed as reproductive mistake. However, recent analysis based on large datasets and newly developed models suggest that gene exchange is not as rare as originally suspected. To investigate the history and speciation of the closely related species Drosophila subobscura, D. madeirensis, and D. guanche, we obtained polymorphism and divergence data for 26 regions throughout the genome, including the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA. We found that the D. subobscura X/autosome ratio of silent nucleotide diversity is significantly smaller than the 0.75 expected under neutrality. This pattern, if held genomewide, may reflect a faster accumulation of beneficial mutations on the X chromosome than on autosomes. We also detected evidence of gene flow in autosomal regions, while sex chromosomes remain distinct. This is consistent with the large X effect on hybrid male sterility seen in this system and the presence of two X chromosome inversions fixed between species. Overall, our data conform to chromosomal speciation models in which rearrangements are proposed to serve as gene flow barriers. Contrary to other observations in Drosophila, the mitochondrial genome appears resilient to gene flow in the presence of nuclear exchange.

Analysis of synonymous codon usage in Newcastle disease virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene and fusion protein (F) gene

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) is a multifunctional protein, which possesses both the receptor recognition and neuraminidase activities. The fusion (F) protein is a type I membrane glycoprotein that mediates the merger of the viral envelope to the host cell membrane. Although the functions of the HN and F proteins have been well studied, however, the factors shaping synonymous codon usage bias and nucleotide composition in HN and F genes have been few reported. In our study, we analyzed synonymous codon usage using the 69 NDV HN and F genes, respectively. The general correlation between base composition and codon usage bias suggests that mutational pressure rather than natural selection is the main factor that determines the codon usage bias in HN and F genes. In addition, other factors, such as the aromaticity and hydrophobicity, also influence the codon usage variation among HN and F genes. This study represents the most comprehensive analysis to date of NDV HN and F genes codon usage patterns and provides a basic understanding of the mechanisms for codon usage bias.

Evaluation of mitochondrial genes as DNA barcode for Basidiomycota

Our study evaluated in silico the potential of 14 mitochondrial genes encoding the subunits of the respiratory chain complexes, including cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1), as Basidiomycota DNA barcode. Fifteen complete and partial mitochondrial genomes were recovered and characterized in this study. Mitochondrial genes showed high values of molecular divergence, indicating a potential for the resolution of lower-level relationships. However, numerous introns occurred in CO1 as well as in six other genes, potentially interfering with polymerase chain reaction amplification. Considering these results and given the minimal length of 600-bp that is optimal for a fungal barcode, the genes encoding for the ATPase subunit 6, the cytochrome oxidase subunit 3 and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 have the most promising characteristics for DNA barcoding among the mitochondrial genes studied. However, biological validation on two fungal data sets indicated that no single mitochondrial gene gave a better taxonomic resolution than the ITS, the region already widely used in fungal taxonomy.

Phylogeny of the Paracalanidae Giesbrecht, 1888 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida)

The Paracalanidae are ecologically-important marine planktonic copepods that occur in the epipelagic zone in temperate and tropical waters. They are often the dominant taxon - in terms of biomass and abundance - in continental shelf regions. As primary consumers, they form a vital link in the pelagic food web between primary producers and higher trophic levels. Despite the ecological importance of the taxon, evolutionary and systematic relationships within the family remain largely unknown. A multigene phylogeny including 24 species, including representatives for all seven genera, was determined based on two nuclear genes, small-subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA and Histone 3 (H3) and one mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The molecular phylogeny was well supported by Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analysis; all genera were found to be monophyletic, except for Paracalanus, which was separated into two distinct clades: the Paracalanus aculeatus group and Paracalanus parvus group. The molecular phylogeny also confirmed previous findings that Mecynocera and Calocalanus are genera of the family Paracalanidae. For comparison, a morphological phylogeny was created for 35 paracalanid species based on 54 morphological characters derived from published descriptions. The morphological phylogeny did not resolve all genera as monophyletic and bootstrap support was not strong. Molecular and morphological phylogenies were not congruent in the positioning of Bestiolina and the Paracalanus species groups, possibly due to the lack of sufficient phylogenetically-informative morphological characters.

Synonymous codon usage in chloroplast genome of Coffea arabica

Synonymous codon usage of 53 protein coding genes in chloroplast genome of Coffea arabica was analyzed for the first time to find out the possible factors contributing codon bias. All preferred synonymous codons were found to use A/T ending codons as chloroplast genomes are rich in AT. No difference in preference for preferred codons was observed in any of the two strands, viz., leading and lagging strands. Complex correlations between total base compositions (A, T, G, C, GC) and silent base contents (A(3), T(3), G(3), C(3), GC(3)) revealed that compositional constraints played crucial role in shaping the codon usage pattern of C. arabica chloroplast genome. ENC Vs GC(3) plot grouped majority of the analyzed genes on or just below the left side of the expected GC(3) curve indicating the influence of base compositional constraints in regulating codon usage. But some of the genes lie distantly below the continuous curve confirmed the influence of some other factors on the codon usage across those genes. Influence of compositional constraints was further confirmed by correspondence analysis as axis 1 and 3 had significant correlations with silent base contents. Correlation of ENC with axis 1, 4 and CAI with 1, 2 prognosticated the minor influence of selection in nature but exact separation of highly and lowly expressed genes could not be seen. From the present study, we concluded that mutational pressure combined with weak selection influenced the pattern of synonymous codon usage across the genes in the chloroplast genomes of C. arabica.

Phylogenetic analysis of four nuclear protein-encoding genes largely corroborates the traditional classification of Bivalvia (Mollusca)

Revived interest in molluscan phylogeny has resulted in a torrent of molecular sequence data from phylogenetic, mitogenomic, and phylogenomic studies. Despite recent progress, basal relationships of the class Bivalvia remain contentious, owing to conflicting morphological and molecular hypotheses. Marked incongruity of phylogenetic signal in datasets heavily represented by nuclear ribosomal genes versus mitochondrial genes has also impeded consensus on the type of molecular data best suited for investigating bivalve relationships. To arbitrate conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses, we evaluated the utility of four nuclear protein-encoding genes-ATP synthase β, elongation factor-1α, myosin heavy chain type II, and RNA polymerase II-for resolving the basal relationships of Bivalvia. We sampled all five major lineages of bivalves (Archiheterodonta, Euheterodonta [including Anomalodesmata], Palaeoheterodonta, Protobranchia, and Pteriomorphia) and inferred relationships using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. To investigate the robustness of the phylogenetic signal embedded in the data, we implemented additional datasets wherein length variability and/or third codon positions were eliminated. Results obtained include (a) the clade (Nuculanida+Opponobranchia), i.e., the traditionally defined Protobranchia; (b) the monophyly of Pteriomorphia; (c) the clade (Archiheterodonta+Palaeoheterodonta); (d) the monophyly of the traditionally defined Euheterodonta (including Anomalodesmata); and (e) the monophyly of Heteroconchia, i.e., (Palaeoheterodonta+Archiheterodonta+Euheterodonta). The stability of the basal tree topology to dataset manipulation is indicative of signal robustness in these four genes. The inferred tree topology corresponds closely to those obtained by datasets dominated by nuclear ribosomal genes (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA), controverting recent taxonomic actions based solely upon mitochondrial gene phylogenies.

Mitochondrial pseudogenes in the nuclear genomes of Drosophila

Mitochondrial pseudogenes in nuclear chromosomes (numts) have been detected in the genomes of a diverse range of eukaryotic species. However, the numt content of different genomes and their properties is not uniform, and study of these differences provides insight into the mechanisms and dynamics of genome evolution in different organisms. In the genus Drosophila, numts have previously only been identified on a genome-wide scale in the melanogaster subgroup. The present study extends the identification to 11 species of the Drosophila genus. We identify a total of 302 numts and show that the numt complement is highly variable in Drosophilids, ranging from just 4 in D. melanogaster to 67 in D. willistoni, broadly correlating with genome size. Many numts have undergone large-scale rearrangements in the nucleus, including interruptions, inversions, deletions and duplications of sequence of variable size. Estimating the age of the numts in the nucleus by phylogenetic tree reconstruction reveals the vast majority of numts to be recent gains, 90% having arisen on terminal branches of the species tree. By identifying paralogs and counting duplications among the extant numts we estimate that 23% of extant numts arose through post-insertion duplications. We estimate genus average rates of insertion of 0.75 per million years, and a duplication rate of 0.010 duplications per numt per million years.

DNA Barcoding and Molecular Phylogeny of Drosophila lini and Its Sibling Species

Drosophila lini and its two sibling species, D. ohnishii and D. ogumai, are hardly distinguishable from one another in morphology. These species are more or less reproductively isolated. The mitochondrial ND2 and COI-COII and the nuclear ITS1-ITS2 regions were sequenced to seek for the possibility of DNA barcoding and to reconstruct the phylogeny of them. The character-based approach for DNA barcoding detected some diagnostic nucleotides only for monophyletic D. ogumai, but no informative sites for the other two very closely species, D. lini and D. ohnishii, of which strains intermingled in the molecular phylogenetic trees. Thus, this study provides another case of limited applicability of DNA barcoding in species delineation, as in other cases of related Drosophila species. The molecular phylogenetic tree inferred from the concatenated sequences strongly supported the monophyly of the cluster of the three species, that is, the lini clade. We propose some hypotheses of evolutionary events in this clade.

Community assembly and diversification in Indo-Pacific coral reef fishes

Theories of species coexistence have played a central role in ecology and evolutionary studies of the origin and maintenance of biodiversity in highly diverse communities. The concept of niche and associated theories predict that competition for available ecological space leads to a ceiling in species richness that influences further diversification patterns. By contrast, the neutral theory supports that speciation is stochastic and diversity independent. We examined the phylogenetic community structure and diversification rates in three families and 14 sites within coral reef fish communities from the Indian and Pacific oceans. Using the phylogenetic relationships among 157 species estimated with 2300 bp of mitochondrial DNA, we tested predictions in terms of species coexistence from the neutral and niche theories. At the regional scale, our findings suggest that phylogenetic community structure shifts during community assembly to a pattern of dispersion as a consequence of allopatric speciation in recent times but overall, variations in diversification rates did not relate with sea level changes. At the local scale, the phylogenetic community structure is consistent with a neutral model of community assembly since no departure from a random sorting of species was observed. The present results support a neutral model of community assembly as a consequence of the stochastic and unpredictable nature of coral reefs favoring generalist and sedentary species competing for living space rather than trophic resources. As a consequence, the observed decrease in diversification rates may be seen as the result of a limited supply of living space as expected in a finite island model.

Taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships between species of the genus Culex (Diptera: culicidae) from Brazil inferred from the cytochrome c oxidase I mitochondrial gene

Species of the genus Culex Linnaeus have been incriminated as the main vectors of lymphatic filariases and are important vectors of arboviruses, including West Nile virus. Sequences corresponding to a fragment of 478 bp of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, which includes part of the barcode region, of 37 individuals of 17 species of genus Culex were generated to establish relationships among five subgenera, Culex, Phenacomyia, Melanoconion, Microculex, and Carrollia, and one species of the genus Lutzia that occurs in Brazil. Bayesian methods were employed for the phylogenetic analyses. Results of sequence comparisons showed that individuals identified as Culex dolosus, Culex mollis, and Culex imitator possess high intraspecific divergence (3.1, 2.3, and 3.5%, respectively) when using the Kimura two parameters model. These differences were associated either with distinct morphological characteristics of the male genitalia or larval and pupal stages, suggesting that these may represent species complexes. The Bayesian topology suggested that the genus and subgenus Culex are paraphyletic relative to Lutzia and Phenacomyia, respectively. The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences may be a useful tool to both estimate phylogenetic relationships and identify morphologically similar species of the genus Culex.

Genetic architecture of metabolic rate: environment specific epistasis between mitochondrial and nuclear genes in an insect

The extent to which mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation is involved in adaptive evolutionary change is currently being reevaluated. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that mtDNA genes coevolve with the nuclear genes with which they interact to form the energy producing enzyme complexes in the mitochondria. This suggests that intergenomic epistasis between mitochondrial and nuclear genes may affect whole-organism metabolic phenotypes. Here, we use crossed combinations of mitochondrial and nuclear lineages of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus and assay metabolic rate under two different temperature regimes. Metabolic rate was affected by an interaction between the mitochondrial and nuclear lineages and the temperature regime. Sequence data suggests that mitochondrial genetic variation has a role in determining the outcome of this interaction. Our genetic dissection of metabolic rate reveals a high level of complexity, encompassing genetic interactions over two genomes, and genotype × genotype × environment interactions. The evolutionary implications of these results are twofold. First, because metabolic rate is at the root of life histories, our results provide insights into the complexity of life-history evolution in general, and thermal adaptation in particular. Second, our results suggest a mechanism that could contribute to the maintenance of nonneutral mtDNA polymorphism.

Evolution of dopamine-related systems: biosynthesis, degradation and receptors

The evolution of enzyme genes at the pathway level has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Most investigations have focused on microorganisms, plants and invertebrates but rarely on vertebrates. The dopamine pathway, which participates in almost every aspect of brain function, is an excellent candidate for study at the pathway level. Herein, we report data on the divergence of six dopamine metabolic enzyme genes (three anabolic, three catabolic enzymes) and five dopamine receptor genes across five mammals, namely Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Macaca mulatta, Mus musculus, and Rattus norvegicus. For enzyme genes, our data confirm previous conclusion that the upstream genes have evolved more slowly than downstream genes. Moreover, we found that catabolic genes in the dopamine metabolic pathway have evolved faster than anabolic genes, and maximum likelihood analysis suggested that this difference in evolutionary rate may be explained by anabolic genes being more constrained during selection. For dopamine receptor genes, however, the broadly expressed genes have tended to evolve more slowly than the narrowly expressed genes; maximum likelihood analysis showed that the relatively rapid evolutionary rate of the narrowly expressed receptor genes was a consequence of relaxed selective constraints. Finally, our data imply that selective constraints on synonymous sites in enzyme genes are relaxed compared with those of receptor genes because of differences in their patterns of functional regulation.

Comparative genomics of Drosophila mtDNA: Novel features of conservation and change across functional domains and lineages

To gain insight on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) evolution, we assembled and analyzed the mitochondrial genomes of Drosophila erecta, D. ananassae, D. persimilis, D. willistoni, D. mojavensis, D. virilis and D. grimshawi together with the sequenced mtDNAs of the melanogaster subgroup. Genomic comparisons across the well-defined Drosophila phylogeny impart power for detecting conserved mtDNA regions that maintain metabolic function and regions that evolve uniquely on lineages. Evolutionary rate varies across intergenic regions of the mtDNA. Rapidly evolving intergenic regions harbor the majority of mitochondrial indel divergence. In contrast, patterns of nearly perfect conservation within intergenic regions reveal a refined set of nucleotides underlying the binding of transcription termination factors. Sequencing of 5' cDNA ends indicates that cytochrome C oxidase I (CoI) has a novel (T/C)CG start codon and that perfectly conserved regions upstream of two NADH dehydrogenase (ND) genes are transcribed and likely extend these protein sequences. Substitutions at synonymous sites in the Drosophila mitochondrial proteomes reflect a mutation process that is biased toward A and T nucleotides and differs between mtDNA strands. Differences in codon usage bias across genes reveal that weak selection at silent sites may offset the mutation bias. The mutation-selection balance at synonymous sites has also diverged between the Drosophila and Sophophora lineages. Rates of evolution are highly heterogeneous across the mitochondrial proteome, with ND accumulating many more amino acid substitutions than CO. These oxidative phosphorylation complex-specific rates of evolution vary across lineages and may reflect physiological and ecological change across the Drosophila phylogeny.

Populations, hybrids and the systematic concepts of species and subspecies in Chagas disease triatomine vectors inferred from nuclear ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA

In Chagas disease, triatomine vectors are the main target for control measures because of the absence of effective drugs. The broad usefulness of nuclear rDNA and mtDNA sequences explains why triatomine studies using these markers have increased so pronouncedly in recent years. This indicates the appropriateness of an updated review about these molecular markers, concentrating on aspects useful for research on Chagas disease vectors. A comparative analysis is presented on the efficiency, weight of their different characteristics, limitations and problems of each of the different DNA markers in the light of the results obtained in studies on populations, hybrids, subspecies and species of the subfamily Triatominae. The use of a standardized composite haplotype code nomenclature for both nuclear rDNA and mtDNA markers is strongly encouraged to avoid difficulties in comparative studies. Triatomine aspects related to concerted evolution, microsatellites, minisatellites and insertions/deletions in nuclear rDNA and silent/non-silent mutations, pseudogenes and weaknesses of partial sequences in mtDNA are analysed. Introgression and hybrids, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA strengths, and compared evolutionary rates of nuclear rDNA and mtDNA in triatomines are discussed. Many conclusions are obtained thanks to the availability, for the first time in triatomines, of a complete sequence of a protein-coding mtDNA gene as ND1 from very numerous triatomine species covering from different populations of a species up to members belonging to different tribes. The evolutionary rates of each nuclear rDNA marker and mtDNA marker are analysed by comparison at subspecies level (intrapopulational, interpopulational, between morphs, and between subspecies) and species level (close and distant species of the same genus, species of different genera, and species of different tribes). Weaknesses of mtDNA for systematic-taxonomic purposes detected recently and newly in insects and triatomines, respectively, are discussed in detail. Emphasis is given to taxonomic units and biological entities presenting well-known problematics, both from the systematic-taxonomic and/or epidemiological-control points of view, as well as to molecular situations which can give rise to erroneous conclusions. All these aspects constitute the background on which the key question about the systematic concepts of species and subspecies in triatomines is focused. The global purpose is to facilitate future work on triatomines by highlighting present gaps, how better choice the appropriate markers, and marker aspects which should be taken into account. Key characteristics as alpha, CI and transformation rate matrices ought to be obtained and noted to get appropriate results and allow correct interpretations. The main aim is to offer a baseline for future fundamental research on triatomines and applied research on transmission, epidemiology and control measures related to Chagas disease vectors.

No resistance to male-killing Wolbachia after thousands of years of infection

Maternally transmitted male-killing endosymbionts can exert strong and relentless selection pressure on their hosts to evolve resistance to these infections. Surveys of current infection prevalence and mtDNA diversity indicate that Drosophila innubila is and has been infected with male-killing Wolbachia at moderate frequencies for extended evolutionary periods. Here, we use coalescent simulations to infer the minimum age of the Wolbachia infection in this species, and estimate that the infection is at least 15,000 and perhaps over 700,000 years old. We also surveyed this species for genetic variation for resistance to the male-killing effects of infection. Our surveys revealed no evidence for any resistance polymorphism, such that all flies are completely susceptible to male killing. Given the general assumption that Drosophila can be selected for anything, the lack of resistance, despite thousands of years of strong selection, is an apparent evolutionary conundrum. We hypothesize that resistance requires a mutation of major effect that acts early in development, and that the adverse pleiotropic consequences of such mutations in both infected and uninfected individuals may exceed the possible benefit to infected flies.

Independent origins of new sex-linked chromosomes in the melanica and robusta species groups of Drosophila

Background

Recent translocations of autosomal regions to the sex chromosomes represent important systems for identifying the evolutionary forces affecting convergent patterns of sex-chromosome heteromorphism. Additions to the sex chromosomes have been reported in the melanica and robusta species groups, two sister clades of Drosophila. The close relationship between these two species groups and the similarity of their rearranged karyotypes motivates this test of alternative hypotheses; the rearranged sex chromosomes in both groups are derived through a common origin, or the rearrangements are derived through at least two independent origins. Here we examine chromosomal arrangement in representatives of the melanica and the robusta species groups and test these alternative hypotheses using a phylogenetic approach.

Results

Two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene sequences were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships of a set of nine ingroup species having fused and unfused sex chromosomes and representing a broad sample of both species groups. Different methods of phylogenetic inference, coupled with concurrent cytogenetic analysis, indicate that the hypothesis of independent origins of rearranged sex chromosomes within each species group is significantly more likely than the alternative hypothesis of a single common origin. An estimate tightly constrained around 8 My was obtained for the age of the rearranged sex chromosomes in the melanica group; however, a more loosely constrained estimate of 10–15 My was obtained for the age of the rearrangement in the robusta group.

Conclusion

Independent acquisition of new chromosomal arms by the sex chromosomes in the melanica and robusta species groups represents a case of striking convergence at the karyotypic level. Our findings indicate that the parallel divergence experienced by newly sex-linked genomic regions in these groups represents an excellent system for studying the tempo of sex chromosome evolution.

The heterochromatic copies of the LTR retrotransposons as a record of the genomic events that have shaped the Drosophila melanogaster genome

Transposable elements, which are major components of most genomes, are known to accumulate in heterochromatic regions in which they have progressively diverged in sequence by mutations and internal deletions and insertions (indels) during the course of evolution. They therefore provide a record of the genomic events that have shaped the genomes, some of which could correspond to speciation events. Using the sequence divergence between the long terminal repeats (LTRs), we estimated the date of the insertion events of the LTR retrotransposon copies embedded within the heterochromatin regions of the Drosophila melanogaster genome. We did not detect traces of any specific waves of mobilization of retrotransposons within heterochromatin, apart from a very recent wave, which corresponds to the numerous LTR retrotransposon copies found in euchromatin.

Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genotype and aging

A common feature across all animals, including humans, is that mitochondrial bioenergetics is linked to oxidative stress, but the nature of these relationships with survival is yet to be properly defined. In this study we included 12 Drosophila simulans isofemale lines: four of each distinct mtDNA haplogroup (siI, -II, and -III). First, we investigated sequence variation in six mtDNA and 13 nuclear encoded genes (nine nuclear-encoded subunits, and the four known isoforms, of complex IV of the electron transport chain). As expected we observed high divergence among the three distinct mitotypes and greatest mtDNA variability in siII-harboring flies. In the nuclear encoded genes, no fixed amino acid differences were observed and levels of polymorphism did not differ significantly among flies harboring distinct mtDNA types. Second, 15,456 flies were included in mortality studies. We observed that mtDNA type influenced survival (siII approximately siIII > siI), flies harboring siII mtDNA had the greatest variation in mortality rates, and in all cases males were longer lived than females. We also assayed maximal rates of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production from complex III of the electron transport chain in mitochondria isolated from 11-day-old flies. Contrary to our prediction, rates of H(2)O(2) production tended to increase with mean survival. This result suggests that higher rates of H(2)O(2) production in younger flies may lead to an upregulation of antioxidants, age-dependent increase in the rate of H(2)O(2) production differ, and/or flies vary in their mitochondrial uncoupling. Alternatively, the whole organism may not regularly, if ever, experience maximal H(2)O(2) production rates.

Effect of divergence time and recombination rate on molecular evolution of Drosophila INE-1 transposable elements and other candidates for neutrally evolving sites

Interspecies divergence of orthologous transposable element remnants is often assumed to be simply due to genetic drift of neutral mutations that occurred after the divergence of the species. However, divergence may also be affected by other factors, such as variation in the mutation rate, ancestral polymorphisms, or selection. Here we attempt to determine the impact of these forces on divergence of three classes of sites that are often assumed to be selectively unconstrained (INE-1 TE remnants, sites within short introns, and fourfold degenerate sites) in two different pairwise comparisons of Drosophila (D. melanogaster vs. D. simulans and D. simulans vs. D. sechellia). We find that divergence of these three classes of sites is strongly influenced by the recombination environment in which they are located, and this is especially true for the closer D. simulans vs. D. sechellia comparison. We suggest that this is mainly a result of the contribution of ancestral polymorphisms in different recombination regions. We also find that intergenic INE-1 elements are significantly more diverged than intronic INE-1 in both pairwise comparisons, implying the presence of either negative selection or lower mutation rates in introns. Furthermore, we show that substitution rates in INE-1 elements are not associated with the length of the noncoding sequence in which they are located, suggesting that reduced divergence in long noncoding sequences is not due to reduced mutation rates in these regions. Finally, we show that GC content for each site within INE-1 sequences has evolved toward an equilibrium value (approximately 33%) since insertion.

Evidence for a slightly deleterious effect of intron polymorphisms at the EF1alpha gene in the deep-sea hydrothermal vent bivalve Bathymodiolus

A multilocus analysis was initiated in order to infer the general effect of demography and the indirect effect of positive selection on some chromosome segments in Bathymodiolus. Mussels of the genus Bathymodiolus inhabit the very hostile, fragmented and variable environment of deep-sea hydrothermal vents which is thought to cause recurrent population bottlenecks via extinction/colonisation processes and adaptation to new environmental conditions. In the course of this work we discovered that the assumption of neutrality of non-coding polymorphisms usually made in genome scan experiments was likely to be violated at one of the loci we analysed. The direct effect of slight purifying selection on non-coding polymorphisms shares many resemblances with the indirect effect of positive selection through genetic hitchhiking. Combining polymorphism with divergence data for several closely related species allowed us to obtain different expectations for the direct effect of negative selection and the indirect effect of positive selection. We observed a strong excess of rare non-coding polymorphisms at the second intron of the EF1alpha gene in the two species Bathymodiolus azoricus and Bathymodiolus thermophilus, while two other loci, the mitochondrial COI gene and an intron of the Lysozyme gene, did not exhibit such a deviation. In addition, the divergence rate of the EF1alpha intron was estimated to be unexpectedly low when calibrated using the closure of the Panama Isthmus that interrupted gene flow between the two species. The polymorphism to divergence ratio was similar to the one observed for the other two loci, in accordance to the hypothesis of purifying selection. We conclude that slight purifying selection is likely to act on polymorphic intronic mutations of the EF1alpha second intron and discuss the possible relationship with the specific biology of Bathymodiolus mussels.

Fast establishment of single-strand conformation polymorphism by targeted primer development in Pityogenes chalcographus (Coleoptera, Scolytinae)

SSCP is a widespread method for mutation detection in biomedical research. Yet, its potential as a tool for population genetics is still not fully utilized. Based on mitochondrial DNA sequences of 96 specimens of the wood-boring beetle Pityogenes chalcographus we constructed a phylogenetic tree of European populations. This tree consisted of six broadly sympatric diverged lineages containing in total 34 haplotypes. Genetic regions of high mutational activity were determined and used for targeted SSCP primer development. In an SSCP mass screening of 427 individuals more than 80% could be assigned to a distinct clade, revealing the insect's genetic structure in Europe. It was demonstrated that analysis of known sequences allows the setup of a functional SSCP protocol within less than two weeks of working time and that phylogenetic data may be retrieved with high accuracy and significantly reduced costs compared to direct sequencing of PCR products.

The influence of body size and net diversification rate on molecular evolution during the radiation of animal phyla

Background

Molecular clock dates, which place the origin of animal phyla deep in the Precambrian, have been used to reject the hypothesis of a rapid evolutionary radiation of animal phyla supported by the fossil record. One possible explanation of the discrepancy is the potential for fast substitution rates early in the metazoan radiation. However, concerted rate variation, occurring simultaneously in multiple lineages, cannot be detected by "clock tests", and so another way to explore such variation is to look for correlated changes between rates and other biological factors. Here we investigate two possible causes of fast early rates: change in average body size or diversification rate of deep metazoan lineages.

Results

For nine genes for phylogenetically independent comparisons between 50 metazoan phyla, orders, and classes, we find a significant correlation between average body size and rate of molecular evolution of mitochondrial genes. The data also indicate that diversification rate may have a positive effect on rates of mitochondrial molecular evolution.

Conclusion

If average body sizes were significantly smaller in the early history of the Metazoa, and if rates of diversification were much higher, then it is possible that mitochondrial genes have undergone a slow-down in evolutionary rate, which could affect date estimates made from these genes.

Nature of selective constraints on synonymous codon usage of rice differs in GC-poor and GC-rich genes

Synonymous codon usage and cellular tRNA abundance are thought to be co-evolved in optimizing translational efficiencies in highly expressed genes. Here in this communication by taking the advantage of publicly available gene expression data of rice and Arabidopsis we demonstrated that tRNA gene copy number is not the only driving force favoring translational selection in all highly expressed genes of rice. We found that forces favoring translational selection differ between GC-rich and GC-poor classes of genes. Supporting our results we also showed that, in highly expressed genes of GC-poor class there is a perfect correspondence between majority of preferred codons and tRNA gene copy number that confers translational efficiencies to this group of genes. However, tRNA gene copy number is not fully consistent with models of translational selection in GC-rich group of genes, where constraints on mRNA secondary structure play a role to optimize codon usage in highly expressed genes.

RCPdb: An evolutionary classification and codon usage database for repeat-containing proteins

Over 3% of human proteins contain single amino acid repeats (repeat-containing proteins, RCPs). Many repeats (homopeptides) localize to important proteins involved in transcription, and the expansion of certain repeats, in particular poly-Q and poly-A tracts, can also lead to the development of neurological diseases. Previous studies have suggested that the homopeptide makeup is a result of the presence of G+C-rich tracts in the encoding genes and that expansion occurs via replication slippage. Here, we have performed a large-scale genomic analysis of the variation of the genes encoding RCPs in 13 species and present these data in an online database (http://repeats.med.monash.edu.au/genetic_analysis/). This resource allows rapid comparison and analysis of RCPs, homopeptides, and their underlying genetic tracts across the eukaryotic species considered. We report three major findings. First, there is a bias for a small subset of codons being reiterated within homopeptides, and there is no G+C or A+T bias relative to the organism's transcriptome. Second, single base pair transversions from the homocodon are unusually common and may represent a mechanism of reducing the rate of homopeptide mutations. Third, homopeptides that are conserved across different species lie within regions that are under stronger purifying selection in contrast to nonconserved homopeptides.

Evolutionary relationships of Drosophila mojavensis geographic host races and their sister species Drosophila arizonae

The cactophilic Drosophila mojavensis species group living in the deserts and dry tropical forests of the southwestern United States and Mexico provides a valuable system for studies in diversification and speciation. Rigorous studies of the relationships between host races of D. mojavensis and the relationships among the members of the species group (D. mojavensis, Drosophila arizona, and Drosophila navojoa) are lacking. We used mitochondrial CO1 sequence data to address the phylogenetics and population genetics of this species group. In this study we have found that the sister species D. mojavensis and D. arizonae share no mitochondrial haplotypes and thus show no evidence for recent introgression. We estimate the divergence time between D. mojavensis and D. arizonae to be between 1.91 and 2.97 million years ago. D. arizonae shows little structure in our population genetic analyses but there is phylogenetic differentiation between southeastern and northern populations of D. arizonae. Drosophila mojavensis shows significant population and phylogenetic structure across the four geographic regions of its distribution. The mitochondrial data support an origin of D. mojavensis on the mainland with early differentiation into the populations now found in the Mojave Desert and the Mainland Sonoran Desert and later colonization of the Baja Peninsula, in contrast to previous models. Also, the sister clade to D. mojavensis/D. arizonae includes D. navojoa and Drosophila huaylasi. By defining the genetic relationships among these populations, we provide a foundation for more sophisticated hypothesis testing regarding the timing of early speciation events and host switches in this species group.

The sorry state of F2 hybrids: consequences of rapid mitochondrial DNA evolution in allopatric populations

Through the processes of natural selection and genetic drift, allopatric populations diverge genetically and may ultimately become reproductively incompatible. In cases of prezygotic reproductive isolation, candidate systems for speciation genes logically include genes involved in mate or gamete recognition. However, where only postzygotic isolation exists, candidate speciation genes could include any genes that affect hybrid performance. We hypothesize that because mitochondrial genes frequently evolve more rapidly than the nuclear genes with which they interact, interpopulation hybridization might be particularly disruptive to mitochondrial function. Understanding the potential impact of intergenomic (nuclear and mitochondrial) coadaptation on the evolution of allopatric populations of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus has required a broadly integrative research program; here we present the results of experiments spanning the spectrum of biological organization in order to demonstrate the consequences of molecular evolution on physiological performance and organismal fitness. We suggest that disruption of mitochondrial function, known to result in a diverse set of human diseases, may frequently underlie reduced fitness in interpopulation and interspecies hybrids in animals.