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

Mitochondrial genomic analyses provide new insights into the "missing" atp8 and adaptive evolution of Mytilidae

Background

Mytilidae, also known as marine mussels, are widely distributed in the oceans worldwide. Members of Mytilidae show a tremendous range of ecological adaptions, from the species distributed in freshwater to those that inhabit in deep-sea. Mitochondria play an important role in energy metabolism, which might contribute to the adaptation of Mytilidae to different environments. In addition, some bivalve species are thought to lack the mitochondrial protein-coding gene ATP synthase F0 subunit 8. Increasing studies indicated that the absence of atp8 may be caused by annotation difficulties for atp8 gene is characterized by highly divergent, variable length.

Results

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genomes of three marine mussels (Xenostrobus securis, Bathymodiolus puteoserpentis, Gigantidas vrijenhoeki) were newly assembled, with the lengths of 14,972 bp, 20,482, and 17,786 bp, respectively. We annotated atp8 in the sequences that we assembled and the sequences lacking atp8. The newly annotated atp8 sequences all have one predicted transmembrane domain, a similar hydropathy profile, as well as the C-terminal region with positively charged amino acids. Furthermore, we reconstructed the phylogenetic trees and performed positive selection analysis. The results showed that the deep-sea bathymodiolines experienced more relaxed evolutionary constraints. And signatures of positive selection were detected in nad4 of Limnoperna fortunei, which may contribute to the survival and/or thriving of this species in freshwater.

Conclusions

Our analysis supported that atp8 may not be missing in the Mytilidae. And our results provided evidence that the mitochondrial genes may contribute to the adaptation of Mytilidae to different environments.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08940-8.

No evidence of DUI in the Mediterranean alien species Brachidontes pharaonis (P. Fisher, 1870) despite mitochondrial heteroplasmy

Two genetically different mitochondrial haplogroups of Brachidontes pharaonis (p-distance 6.8%) have been identified in the Mediterranean Sea. This hinted at a possible presence of doubly uniparental inheritance in this species. To ascertain this possibility, we sequenced two complete mitogenomes of Brachidontes pharaonis mussels and performed a qPCR analysis to measure the relative mitogenome copy numbers of both mtDNAs. Despite the presence of two very similar regions composed entirely of repetitive sequences in the two haplogroups, no recombination between mitogenomes was detected. In heteroplasmic individuals, both mitogenomes were present in the generative tissues of both sexes, which argues against the presence of doubly uniparental inheritance in this species.

Relaxed selection on male mitochondrial genes in DUI bivalves eases the need for mitonuclear coevolution

Mitonuclear coevolution is an important prerequisite for efficient energy production in eukaryotes. However, many bivalve taxa experience doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) and have sex-specific mitochondrial (mt) genomes, providing a challenge for mitonuclear coevolution. We examined possible mechanisms to reconcile mitonuclear coevolution with DUI. No nuclear-encoded, sex-specific OXPHOS paralogs were found in the DUI clam Ruditapes philippinarum, refuting OXPHOS paralogy as a solution in this species. It is also unlikely that mt changes causing disruption of nuclear interactions are strongly selected against because sex-specific mt-residues or those under positive selection in M mt genes were not depleted for contacting nuclear-encoded residues. However, M genomes showed consistently higher d_N /d_S ratios compared to putatively ancestral F genomes in all mt OXPHOS genes and across all DUI species. Further analyses indicated that this was consistently due to relaxed, not positive selection on M vs. F mt OXPHOS genes. Similarly, selection was relaxed on the F genome of DUI species compared to species with strict maternal inheritance. Coupled with recent physiological and molecular evolution studies, we suggest that relaxed selection on M mt function limits the need to maintain mitonuclear interactions in M genomes compared to F genomes. We discuss our findings with regard to OXPHOS function and the origin of DUI.

Semimytilus algosus: first known hermaphroditic mussel with doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial DNA

Doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mitochondrial DNA is a rare phenomenon occurring in some freshwater and marine bivalves and is usually characterized by the mitochondrial heteroplasmy of male individuals. Previous research on freshwater Unionida mussels showed that hermaphroditic species do not have DUI even if their closest gonochoristic counterparts do. No records showing DUI in a hermaphrodite have ever been reported. Here we show for the first time that the hermaphroditic mussel Semimytilus algosus (Mytilida), very likely has DUI, based on the complete sequences of both mitochondrial DNAs and the distribution of mtDNA types between male and female gonads. The two mitogenomes show considerable divergence (34.7%). The presumably paternal M type mitogenome dominated the male gonads of most studied mussels, while remaining at very low or undetectable levels in the female gonads of the same individuals. If indeed DUI can function in the context of simultaneous hermaphroditism, a change of paradigm regarding its involvement in sex determination is needed. It is apparently associated with gonadal differentiation rather than with sex determination in bivalves.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Orthaga olivacea Warre (Lepidoptera Pyralidae) and comparison with other Lepidopteran insects

Orthaga olivacea Warre (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is an important agricultural pest of camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora). To further supplement the known genome-level features of related species, the complete mitochondrial genome of Orthaga olivacea is amplified, sequenced, annotated, analyzed, and compared with 58 other species of Lepidopteran. The complete sequence is 15,174 bp, containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a putative control region. Base composition is biased toward adenine and thymine (79.02% A+T) and A+T skew are slightly negative. Twelve of the 13 PCGs use typical ATN start codons. The exception is cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) that utilizes a CGA initiation codon. Nine PCGs have standard termination codon (TAA); others have incomplete stop codons, a single T or TA nucleotide. All the tRNA genes have the typical clover-leaf secondary structure, except for trnS(AGN), in which dihydrouridine (DHU) arm fails to form a stable stem-loop structure. The A+T-rich region (293 bp) contains a typical Lepidopter motifs 'ATAGA' followed by a 17 bp poly-T stretch, and a microsatellite-like (AT)13 repeat. Codon usage analysis revealed that Asn, Ile, Leu2, Lys, Tyr and Phe were the most frequently used amino acids, while Cys was the least utilized. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that among sequenced lepidopteran mitochondrial genomes, Orthaga olivacea Warre was most closely related to Hypsopygia regina, and confirmed that Orthaga olivacea Warre belongs to the Pyralidae family.

Cryptic diversity in smooth-shelled mussels on Southern Ocean islands: connectivity, hybridisation and a marine invasion

Background

Large numbers of endemic species inhabit subantarctic continental coasts and islands that are characterised by highly variable environmental conditions. Southern hemisphere populations of taxa that are morphologically similar to northern counterparts have traditionally been considered to be extensions of such Northern hemisphere taxa, and may not exhibit differentiation amongst geographically isolated populations in the Southern Ocean. Smooth-shelled blue mussels of the genus Mytilus that exhibit an anti-tropical distribution are a model group to study phylogeography, speciation and hybridisation in the sea, and contribute to the theory and practice of marine biosecurity.

Methods

We used a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) panel that has the ability to accurately identify reference Northern and Southern hemisphere Mytilus taxa to test for evolutionary differentiation amongst native Southern Ocean island populations.

Results

Native mussels from the Falkland Islands and the Kerguelen Islands exhibited greatest affinity to native M. platensis d’Orbigny 1846 from the Atlantic coast of South America. The major Southern Ocean current flow from west to east is likely to explain the spreading of M. platensis to remote offshore islands, as adults via the process of rafting or perhaps directly as larvae. SNPs variation revealed that mussels from Tasmania were native and clearly differentiated from all other blue mussel groups in the Southern and Northern hemispheres. The native mussels M. planulatus from Tasmania and from mainland New Zealand (NZ), and tentatively M. aoteanus from the two NZ Southern Ocean offshore island groups (the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island), formed a distinct M. galloprovincialis–like Southern hemisphere group with closest affinity to Northern hemisphere M. galloprovincialis from the Mediterranean Sea. In all cases, the SNPs revealed evidence of hybridisation between two or more distinct taxa. The invasive Northern hemisphere M. galloprovincialis was identified only in Tasmania, amongst native mussels of a distinct Australian M. planulatus lineage.

Conclusion

Overall, our results reveal that Southern hemisphere island mussels have mixed genome ancestry and are native, not introduced by human activities. The preservation of distinct evolutionary lineages of Southern hemisphere species needs to be an ongoing focus of conservation efforts, given that population sizes on some of the remote offshore oceanic islands will be small and may be more easily adversely affected by invasion and subsequent hybridisation and introgression than larger populations elsewhere.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-019-0332-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Actively transcribed and expressed atp8 gene in Mytilus edulis mussels

Background

Animal mitochondrial genomes typically encode 37 genes: 13 proteins, 22 tRNAs and two rRNAs. However, many species represent exceptions to that rule. Bivalvia along with Nematoda and Platyhelminthes are often suspected to fully or partially lack the ATP synthase subunit 8 (atp8) gene. This raises the question as to whether they are really lacking this gene or is this maybe an annotation problem? Among bivalves, Mytilus edulis has been inferred to lack an ATP8 gene since the characterization of its mitochondrial genome in 1992. Even though recent bioinformatic analyses suggested that atp8 is present in Mytilus spp., due to high divergence in predicted amino acid sequences, the existence of a functional atp8 gene in this group remains controversial.

Results

Here we demonstrate that M. edulis mitochondrial open reading frames suggested to be atp8 (in male and female mtDNAs) are actively translated proteins. We also provide evidence that both proteins are an integral part of the ATP synthase complex based on in-gel detection of ATP synthase activity and two-dimensional Blue-Native and SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis.

Conclusion

Many organisms (e.g., Bivalvia along with Nematoda and Platyhelminthes) are considered to be lacking certain mitochondrial genes often only based on poor similarity between protein coding gene sequences in genetically closed species. In some situations, this may lead to the inference that the ATP8 gene is absent, when it is in fact present, but highly divergent. This shows how important complementary role protein-based approaches, such as those in the present study, can provide to bioinformatic, genomic studies (i.e., ability to confirm the presence of a gene).

Gender-Associated Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy in Somatic Tissues of the Endangered Freshwater Mussel Unio crassus (Bivalvia: Unionidae): Implications for Sex Identification and Phylogeographical Studies

Some bivalve species possess two independent mitochondrial DNA lineages: maternally (F-type) and paternally (M-type) inherited. This phenomenon is called doubly uniparental inheritance. It is generally agreed that F-type mtDNA is typically present in female somatic and gonadal tissues as well as in male somatic tissues, whereas the M-type mtDNA occurs only in male germ line and gonadal tissue. In the present study, the mtDNA heteroplasmy (for both F and M genomes) in male somatic tissues of Unio crassus (Philipsson, 1788), species threatened with extinction, has been confirmed. Taking advantage from the presence of Mcox1 marker only in male somatic tissues, we developed a new method of sex identification in this endangered species, using nondestructive tissue sampling. Probability of correct sex identification was estimated at 97.5%. The present study is the first report on gender-associated mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in male somatic tissues of thick-shelled river mussel and first approach to U. crassus sex identification at molecular level. Our study also confirmed the utility of paternally inherited Mcox1 gene fragment as a complementary molecular tool for resolving phylogeographical relationships among populations of thick-shelled river mussel.

Sequence motifs associated with paternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA in the horse mussel, Modiolus modiolus (Bivalvia: Mytilidae)

In the majority of metazoans paternal mitochondria represent evolutionary dead-ends. In many bivalves, however, this paradigm does not hold true; both maternal and paternal mitochondria are inherited. Herein, we characterize maternal and paternal mitochondrial control regions of the horse mussel, Modiolus modiolus (Bivalvia: Mytilidae). The maternal control region is 808bp long, while the paternal control region is longer at 2.3kb. We hypothesize that the size difference is due to a combination of repeated duplications within the control region of the paternal mtDNA genome, as well as an evolutionarily ancient recombination event between two sex-associated mtDNA genomes that led to the insertion of a second control region sequence in the genome that is now transmitted via males. In a comparison to other mytilid male control regions, we identified two evolutionarily Conserved Motifs, CMA and CMB, associated with paternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA. CMA is characterized by a conserved purine/pyrimidine pattern, while CMB exhibits a specific 13bp nucleotide string within a stem and loop structure. The identification of motifs CMA and CMB in M. modiolus extends our understanding of Sperm Transmission Elements (STEs) that have recently been identified as being associated with the paternal transmission of mitochondria in marine bivalves.

The complete maternal and paternal mitochondrial genomes of Unio crassus: Mitochondrial molecular clock and the overconfidence of molecular dating

The availability of a rapidly growing number of complete mitochondrial genome sequences provokes high confidence dating approaches. However, even if the congruence between mitochondrial and nuclear markers is reasonable, the resulting topologies are frequently questionable. The unique opportunity to study the evolutionary history of two independent mitochondrial genomes in one phylogenetic context exists in the freshwater mussels family Unionidae. The two lineages function under doubly uniparental inheritance since well before the emergence of the family. Despite the relatively high number of available complete sequences of maternally inherited genomes, comparative analyses are limited by the small number of sequences of counterpart paternally inherited genomes. We have sequenced for the first time the representative set of five sequences (two maternal and three paternal) from the species Unio crassus. Comparative analysis of the phylogenies reconstructed using relevant mitogenomic data available in GenBank (13 species in total) reveal that single - genome inferences are congruent only if the relaxed clock is assumed.

Mitogenomics of southern hemisphere blue mussels (Bivalvia: Pteriomorphia): Insights into the evolutionary characteristics of the Mytilus edulis complex

Marine blue mussels (Mytilus spp.) are widespread species that exhibit an antitropical distribution with five species occurring in the Northern Hemisphere (M. trossulus, M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis, M. californianus and M. coruscus) and three in the Southern Hemisphere (M. galloprovincialis, M. chilensis and M. platensis). Species limits in this group remain controversial, in particular for those forms that live in South America. Here we investigated structural characteristics of marine mussels mitogenomes, based on published F mtDNA sequences of Northern Hemisphere species and two newly sequenced South American genomes, one from the Atlantic M. platensis and another from the Pacific M. chilensis. These mitogenomes exhibited similar architecture to those of other genomes of Mytilus, including the presence of the Atp8 gene, which is missing in most of the other bivalves. Our evolutionary analysis of mitochondrial genes indicates that purifying selection is the predominant force shaping the evolution of the coding genes. Results of our phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of Pteriomorphia and fully resolved the phylogenetic relationships among its five orders. Finally, the low genetic divergence of specimens assigned to M. chilensis and M. platensis suggests that these South American marine mussels represent conspecific variants rather than distinct species.

Mitochondrial gene order variation in the brachiopod Lingula anatina and its implications for mitochondrial evolution in lophotrochozoans

Vertebrate mitochondrial (mt) genomes display highly conserved gene order and relatively low evolutionary rates. However, these features are variable in marine invertebrates. Here we present the mt genome of the lingulid brachiopod, Lingula anatina, from Amami Island, Japan, as part of the nuclear genome project. We obtain ~2000-fold coverage of the 17.9-kb mt genome using Illumina sequencing, and we identify hypervariable regions within the same individual. Transcriptome analyses show that mt transcripts are polycistronic and expressed differentially. Unexpectedly, we find that the mt gene order of Amami Lingula is completely shuffled compared to that of a specimen from Yanagawa, suggesting that there may be cryptic species. Using breakpoint distance analyses with 101 metazoan mt genomes, we show that the evolutionary history of mt gene order among lophotrochozoans is unique. Analyses of non-synonymous substitution rates reveal that mt protein-coding genes of Lingula have experienced rapid evolution comparable to that expected for interspecific comparisons. Whole genome phylogenetic analyses suggest that mt genomes have limited value for inferring the phylogenetic positions of lophotrochozoans because of their high evolutionary rates in brachiopods and bivalves.

The environmentally tuned transcriptomes of Mytilus mussels

Transcriptomics is a powerful tool for elucidating the molecular mechanisms that underlie the ability of organisms to survive and thrive in dynamic and changing environments. Here, we review the major contributions in this field, and we focus on studies of mussels in the genus Mytilus, which are well-established models for the study of ecological physiology in fluctuating environments. Our review is organized into four main sections. First, we illustrate how the abiotic forces of the intertidal environment drive the rhythmic coupling of gene expression to diel and tidal cycles in Mytilus californianus. Second, we discuss the challenges and pitfalls of conducting transcriptomic studies in field-acclimatized animals. Third, we examine the link between transcriptomic responses to environmental stress and biogeographic distributions in blue mussels, Mytilus trossulus and Mytilus galloprovincialis. Fourth, we present a comparison of transcriptomic datasets and identify 175 genes that share common responses to heat stress across Mytilus species. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that transcriptomics can provide an informative snapshot of the physiological state of an organism within an environmental context. In a comparative framework, transcriptomics can reveal how natural selection has shaped patterns of transcriptional regulation that may ultimately influence biogeography.

Scorched mussels (BIVALVIA: MYTILIDAE: BRACHIDONTINAE) from the temperate coasts of South America: phylogenetic relationships, trans-Pacific connections and the footprints of Quaternary glaciations

This study addresses aspects of the phylogeny and phylogeography of scorched mussels (BIVALVIA: MYTILIDAE: BRACHIDONTINAE) from southern South America (Argentina and Chile), as well as their ecophylogenetic implications. Relationships were inferred from sequences of two nuclear (28S and 18S) and one mitochondrial (COI) genes, using Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses. Our results indicate that the monophyletic BRACHIDONTINAE include three well supported clades: [i] Brachidontes Swainson (=Hormomya Mörch), [ii] Ischadium Jukes-Browne+Geukensia van de Poel, and [iii] Austromytilus Laseron+Mytilisepta Habe (usually considered a member of the SEPTIFERINAE)+Perumytilus Olsson. Species of clade [iii] are distributed along the temperate coasts of the Pacific Ocean. Available evidence supports divergence between Austromytilus (Australia) and Perumytilus (South American) following the breakup of Australian, Antarctic and South American shelves. Four brachidontins occur in southern South America: Brachidontes rodriguezii (d'Orbigny), B. granulatus (Hanley), and two genetically distinct clades of Perumytilus. The latter are confined to the Chile-Peru (North Clade) and Magellanic (South Clade) Biogeographic Provinces, respectively warm- and cold-temperate. The South Clade is the only brachidontin restricted to cold-temperate waters. Biogeographic considerations and the fossil record prompted the hypothesis that the South Clade originated from the North Clade by incipient peripatric differentiation, followed by isolation during the Quaternary glaciations, genetic differentiation in the non-glaciated coasts of eastern Patagonia, back-expansion over southern Chile following post-LGM de-glaciation, and development of a secondary contact zone between the two clades in south-central Chile. Evidence of upper Pleistocene expansion of the South Clade parallels similar results on other organisms that have colonized coastal ecosystems from eastern Patagonia since the LGM, apparently occupying free ecological space. We emphasize that the assembly of communities cannot be explained solely in terms of environmental drivers, as history also matters.

Glacial history of the European marine mussels Mytilus, inferred from distribution of mitochondrial DNA lineages

Mussels of the genus Mytilus have been used to assess the circumglacial phylogeography of the intertidal zone. These mussels are representative components of the intertidal zone and have rapidly evolving mitochondrial DNA, suitable for high resolution phylogeographic analyses. In Europe, the three Mytilus species currently share mitochondrial haplotypes, owing to the cases of extensive genetic introgression. Genetic diversity of Mytilus edulis, Mytilus trossulus and Mytilus galloprovincialis was studied using a 900-bp long part of the most variable fragment of the control region from one of their two mitochondrial genomes. To this end, 985 specimens were sampled along the European coasts, at sites ranging from the Black Sea to the White Sea. The relevant DNA fragments were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. Contrary to the earlier findings, our coalescence and nested cladistics results show that only a single M. edulis glacial refugium existed in the Atlantic. Despite that, the species survived the glaciation retaining much of its diversity. Unsurprisingly, M. galloprovincialis survived in the Mediterranean Sea. In a relatively short time period, around the climatic optimum at 10 ky ago, the species underwent rapid expansion coupled with population differentiation. Following the expansion, further contemporary gene flow between populations was limited.

Karyotypic diversification in Mytilus mussels (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) inferred from chromosomal mapping of rRNA and histone gene clusters

Background

Mussels of the genus Mytilus present morphologically similar karyotypes that are presumably conserved. The absence of chromosome painting probes in bivalves makes difficult verifying this hypothesis. In this context, we comparatively mapped ribosomal RNA and histone gene families on the chromosomes of Mytilus edulis, M. galloprovincialis, M. trossulus and M. californianus by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).

Results

Major rRNA, core and linker histone gene clusters mapped to different chromosome pairs in the four taxa. In contrast, minor rRNA gene clusters showed a different behavior. In all Mytilus two of the 5S rDNA clusters mapped to the same chromosome pair and one of them showed overlapping signals with those corresponding to one of the histone H1 gene clusters. The overlapping signals on mitotic chromosomes became a pattern of alternate 5S rRNA and linker histone gene signals on extended chromatin fibers. Additionally, M. trossulus showed minor and major rDNA clusters on the same chromosome pair.

Conclusion

The results obtained suggest that at least some of the chromosomes bearing these sequences are orthologous and that chromosomal mapping of rRNA and histone gene clusters could be a good tool to help deciphering some of the many unsolved questions in the systematic classification of Mytilidae.

Can we continue to neglect genomic variation in introgression rates when inferring the history of speciation? A case study in a Mytilus hybrid zone

The use of molecular data to reconstruct the history of divergence and gene flow between populations of closely related taxa represents a challenging problem. It has been proposed that the long-standing debate about the geography of speciation can be resolved by comparing the likelihoods of a model of isolation with migration and a model of secondary contact. However, data are commonly only fit to a model of isolation with migration and rarely tested against the secondary contact alternative. Furthermore, most demographic inference methods have neglected variation in introgression rates and assume that the gene flow parameter (Nm) is similar among loci. Here, we show that neglecting this source of variation can give misleading results. We analysed DNA sequences sampled from populations of the marine mussels, Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis, across a well-studied mosaic hybrid zone in Europe and evaluated various scenarios of speciation, with or without variation in introgression rates, using an Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) approach. Models with heterogeneous gene flow across loci always outperformed models assuming equal migration rates irrespective of the history of gene flow being considered. By incorporating this heterogeneity, the best-supported scenario was a long period of allopatric isolation during the first three-quarters of the time since divergence followed by secondary contact and introgression during the last quarter. By contrast, constraining migration to be homogeneous failed to discriminate among any of the different models of gene flow tested. Our simulations thus provide statistical support for the secondary contact scenario in the European Mytilus hybrid zone that the standard coalescent approach failed to confirm. Our results demonstrate that genomic variation in introgression rates can have profound impacts on the biological conclusions drawn from inference methods and needs to be incorporated in future studies.

The F type mitochondrial genome of hard-shelled mussel: Mytilus coruscus (Mytiloida, Mytilidae)

We determined the complete mitochondrial genome of the female hard-shelled mussel Mytilus coruscus (Gould, 1869) (F type). The F type genome is composed of 16,642 bp in length including 12 protein coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA and 23 tRNA with the same gene content and order as the other Mytilus species which is characterized by the absence of the ATPase8 gene and addition of tRNA(Met) (AUA). The nucleotide composition of the genome shows that the percentage of A+T (63.2%) is higher than those of M. edulis complex species (M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis, M. trossulus) but lower than that of M. californianus. The F type mitochondrial genome of M. coruscus will provide useful information on the evolutionary history of the Mytilus species in the family Mitilidae.

Molecular population genetics of male and female mitochondrial genomes in subarctic Mytilus trossulus

The doubly uniparental inheritance system allows for the use of two independent mitochondrial genomes for population history investigations. Under this system, two lineages of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) exist and males are typically heteroplasmic, having the additional, usually divergent, mitochondrial genome inherited from their male parent. This additional mtDNA typically evolves faster, potentially allowing for insight into more recent events in population history. Few studies did explore this possibility in marine mussels Mytilus showing its usefulness. Recent observations of the Mytilus trossulus mussels who have retained their native mtDNA in European waters posed the question of their origin. Are they part of a population present, but previously undetected, or is this a potentially human mediated, ongoing spread of an invasive species? To tackle this question, we amplified with species-specific primers and sequenced an approximately 1,200-bp-long fragment spanning COIII and ND2 genes from both mitochondrial genomes of mussels sampled at five locations worldwide, covering the whole M. trossulus range. The overall pattern of polymorphisms is compatible with the entirely postglacial history of the whole species, indicating a very deep bottleneck at last glacial maximum, with possible retention of the whole species in a single refugium, and the effective population size of no more than a few thousands. Both analyses of molecular variance and isolation with migration (IM) models point at the West Atlantic as the source of the European M. trossulus mussels, at least the ones who retained their native mtDNA. The hypothesis that this is an ongoing, human-mediated process was considered. To this end, comparison with the well-known case: the introduction of congeneric mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, from Mediterranean Sea to Asia was used. This introduction occurred within the last 100 years. The results inferred by the IM model suggest that the timing and structure of transatlantic migration of M. trossulus differs significantly from the M. galloprovincialis case: it is more than 1,000 years old and involves a much larger fraction of the ancestral population. Therefore, most likely, this invasion is not a human-mediated process.

Evidence for a fourteenth mtDNA-encoded protein in the female-transmitted mtDNA of marine Mussels (Bivalvia: Mytilidae)

Background

A novel feature for animal mitochondrial genomes has been recently established: i.e., the presence of additional, lineage-specific, mtDNA-encoded proteins with functional significance. This feature has been observed in freshwater mussels with doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA (DUI). The latter unique system of mtDNA transmission, which also exists in some marine mussels and marine clams, is characterized by one mt genome inherited from the female parent (F mtDNA) and one mt genome inherited from the male parent (M mtDNA). In freshwater mussels, the novel mtDNA-encoded proteins have been shown to be mt genome-specific (i.e., one novel protein for F genomes and one novel protein for M genomes). It has been hypothesized that these novel, F- and M-specific, mtDNA-encoded proteins (and/or other F- and/or M-specific mtDNA sequences) could be responsible for the different modes of mtDNA transmission in bivalves but this remains to be demonstrated.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We investigated all complete (or nearly complete) female- and male-transmitted marine mussel mtDNAs previously sequenced for the presence of ORFs that could have functional importance in these bivalves. Our results confirm the presence of a novel F genome-specific mt ORF, of significant length (>100aa) and located in the control region, that most likely has functional significance in marine mussels. The identification of this ORF in five Mytilus species suggests that it has been maintained in the mytilid lineage (subfamily Mytilinae) for ∼13 million years. Furthermore, this ORF likely has a homologue in the F mt genome of Musculista senhousia, a DUI-containing mytilid species in the subfamily Crenellinae. We present evidence supporting the functionality of this F-specific ORF at the transcriptional, amino acid and nucleotide levels.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results offer support for the hypothesis that “novel F genome-specific mitochondrial genes” are involved in key biological functions in bivalve species with DUI.

Transcriptomic responses to heat stress in invasive and native blue mussels (genus Mytilus): molecular correlates of invasive success

Invasive species are increasingly prevalent in marine ecosystems worldwide. Although many studies have examined the ecological effects of invasives, little is known about the physiological mechanisms that might contribute to invasive success. The mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, a native of the Mediterranean Sea, is a successful invader on the central and southern coasts of California, where it has largely displaced the native congener, Mytilus trossulus. It has been previously shown that thermal responses of several physiological traits may underlie the capacity of M. galloprovincialis to out-compete M. trossulus in warm habitats. To elucidate possible differences in stress-induced gene expression between these congeners, we developed an oligonucleotide microarray with 8874 probes representing 4488 different genes that recognized mRNAs of both species. In acute heat-stress experiments, 1531 of these genes showed temperature-dependent changes in expression that were highly similar in the two congeners. By contrast, 96 genes showed species-specific responses to heat stress, functionally characterized by their involvement in oxidative stress, proteolysis, energy metabolism, ion transport, cell signaling and cytoskeletal reorganization. The gene that showed the biggest difference between the species was the gene for the molecular chaperone small heat shock protein 24, which was highly induced in M. galloprovincialis and showed only a small change in M. trossulus. These different responses to acute heat stress may help to explain--and predict--the invasive success of M. galloprovincialis in a warming world.

Homologous recombination between highly diverged mitochondrial sequences: examples from maternally and paternally transmitted genomes

Homologous recombination is restricted to sequences of low divergence. This is attributed to the mismatch repairing system (MMR), which does not allow recombination between sequences that are highly divergent. This acts as a safeguard against recombination between nonhomologous sequences that could result in genome imbalance. Here, we report recombination between maternal and paternal mitochondrial genomes of the sea mussel, whose sequences differ by >20%. We propose that the strict maternal inheritance of the animal mitochondrial DNA and the ensuing homoplasmy has relieved the MMR system of the animal mitochondrion from the pressure to tolerate recombination only among sequences with a high degree of similarity.

DNA barcoding of marine metazoa

More than 230,000 known species representing 31 metazoan phyla populate the world's oceans. Perhaps another 1,000,000 or more species remain to be discovered. There is reason for concern that species extinctions may out-pace discovery, especially in diverse and endangered marine habitats such as coral reefs. DNA barcodes (i.e., short DNA sequences for species recognition and discrimination) are useful tools to accelerate species-level analysis of marine biodiversity and to facilitate conservation efforts. This review focuses on the usual barcode region for metazoans: a approximately 648 base-pair region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Barcodes have also been used for population genetic and phylogeographic analysis, identification of prey in gut contents, detection of invasive species, forensics, and seafood safety. More controversially, barcodes have been used to delimit species boundaries, reveal cryptic species, and discover new species. Emerging frontiers are the use of barcodes for rapid and increasingly automated biodiversity assessment by high-throughput sequencing, including environmental barcoding and the use of barcodes to detect species for which formal identification or scientific naming may never be possible.

Characterization of a mitochondrial ORF from the gender-associated mtDNAs of Mytilus spp. (Bivalvia: Mytilidae): identification of the "missing" ATPase 8 gene

Bivalve species are characterized by extraordinary variability in terms of mitochondrial (mt) genome size, gene arrangement and tRNA gene number. Many species are thought to lack the mitochondrial protein-coding gene atp8. Of these species, the Mytilidae appears to be the only known taxon with doubly uniparental inheritance of mtDNA that does not possess the atp8 gene. This raises the question as to whether mytilids have completely lost the ATP8 protein, whether the gene has been transferred to the nucleus or whether they possess a highly modified version of the gene/protein that has led to its lack of annotation. In the present study, we re-investigated all complete (or nearly complete) F and M mytilid mt genomes previously sequenced for the presence of conserved open reading frames (ORFs) that might code for ATP8 and/or have other functional importance in these bivalves. We also revised the annotations of all available complete mitochondrial genomes of bivalves and nematodes that are thought to lack atp8 in an attempt to detect it. Our results indicate that a novel mytilid ORF of significant length (i.e., the ORF is >85 amino acids in length), with complete start and stop codons, is a candidate for the atp8 gene: (1) it possesses a pattern of evolution expected for a protein-coding gene evolving under purifying selection (i.e., the 3rd>1st>2nd codon pattern of evolution), (2) it is actively transcribed in Mytilus species, (3) it has one predicted transmembrane helix (as do other metazoan ATP8 proteins), (4) it has conserved functional motifs and (5), comparisons of its amino acid sequence with ATP8 sequences of other molluscan or bivalve species reveal similar hydropathy profiles. Furthermore, our revised annotations also confirmed the mt presence of atp8 in almost all bivalve species and in one nematode species. Our results thus support recognizing the presence of ATPase 8 in most bivalves mt genomes (if not all) rather than the continued characterization of these genomes as lacking this gene.

Range-wide genetic homogeneity in the California sea mussel (Mytilus californianus): a comparison of allozymes, nuclear DNA markers, and mitochondrial DNA sequences

We tested for genetic differentiation among six populations of California sea mussels (Mytilus californianus) sampled across 4000 km of its geographical range by comparing patterns of variation at four independent types of genetic markers: allozymes, single-copy nuclear DNA markers, and DNA sequences from the male and female mitochondrial genomes. Despite our extensive sampling and genotyping efforts, we detected no significant differences among localities and no signal of isolation by distance suggesting that M. californianus is genetically homogeneous throughout its range. This concordance differs from similar studies on other mytilids, especially in the role of postsettlement selection generating differences between exposed coastal and estuarine habitats. To assess if this homogeneity was due to M. californianus not inhabiting estuarine environments, we reviewed studies comparing allozymes with other classes of nuclear DNA markers. Although both types of markers gave broadly consistent results, there was a bias favouring studies in which allozymes were more divergent than DNA markers (nine to three) and a disproportionate number of these cases involved marine taxa (seven). Furthermore, allozymes were significantly more heterogeneous than DNA markers in three of the four studies that sampled coastal and estuarine habitats. We conclude that the genetic uniformity exhibited by M. californianus may result from a combination of extensive gene flow and the lack of exposure to strong selective gradients across its range.

Role-reversal of gender-associated mitochondrial DNA affects mitochondrial function in Mytilus edulis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae)

Mussel species of the genus Mytilus possess an unusual system of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transmission termed doubly uniparental inheritance. They are characterized by the presence of two highly divergent gender-associated mtDNA genomes (often with>20 and>10% divergences in DNA and amino acid sequences, respectively) that are inherited either maternally (F mtDNA) or paternally (M mtDNA). Females are typically homoplasmic for the F mtDNA and males are heteroplasmic with the F mtDNA being most common in all tissues except the gonad that is dominated by the M mtDNA. Collectively, males are polymorphic for two classes of M mtDNAs known as the "standard male" and "recently masculinized" M types (SM and RM, respectively). The coding portions of the RM mtDNA genome differ from the SM mtDNA by as much as the maternally inherited F mtDNA genome differs from the SM type. Because the SM and RM types exhibit considerable amino acid sequence divergence, we hypothesized that these differences could affect mitochondrial respiratory chain complex enzyme activities. To test this hypothesis, the activity of the major mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes (complexes II, I+III and IV) as well as the activity of citrate synthase were measured on gonad samples from males containing either the SM or RM mtDNA. Our data demonstrate that the mitochondrial subunits encoded by the RM mtDNA are associated with higher enzymatic activities than the gene products of the SM mtDNA.

Male infertility, female fertility and extrapair copulations

Females that are socially bonded to a single male, either in a social monogamy or in a social polygyny, are often sexually polyandrous. Extrapair copulations (EPC) have often been suggested or rejected, on both empirical and theoretical grounds, as an important mechanism that enables females to avoid fertility risks in case their socially bonded male is infertile. Here, we explore this possibility in two steps. First, we present a mathematical model that assumes that females have no precopulatory information about male fertility, and shows that a female EPC strategy increases female reproductive success only if certain specific conditions are upheld in the nature of male infertility. In particular, these conditions require both (i) that fertile sperm precedence (FSP) is absent or incomplete within ejaculates of the same male (i.e. that an infertile male is, at least partly, truly infertile), and (ii) the existence of FSP among ejaculates of different males (such that infertile spermatozoa of the infertile male are at a disadvantage when competing against spermatozoa of a fertile male). Second, to evaluate their potential role in the evolution of female EPC, we review the abundance and FSP patterns of the different male infertility types. The conclusion is drawn that some common infertility types, such as poor sperm count or motility, contribute to the evolution of female EPC, whereas other common infertility types, such as sperm depletion or allocation in a social monogamy (but not in a social polygyny), and in particular male driven polyspermy, do not. Also, a deeper look at the arms race between sperm fertilization efficiency and female barriers to sperm may answer the non-trivial question: "why are some types of infertility so common?"

The causes of mutation accumulation in mitochondrial genomes

A fundamental observation across eukaryotic taxa is that mitochondrial genomes have a higher load of deleterious mutations than nuclear genomes. Identifying the evolutionary forces that drive this difference is important to understanding the rates and patterns of sequence evolution, the efficacy of natural selection, the maintenance of sex and recombination and the mechanisms underlying human ageing and many diseases. Recent studies have implicated the presumed asexuality of mitochondrial genomes as responsible for their high mutational load. We review the current body of knowledge on mitochondrial mutation accumulation and recombination, and conclude that asexuality, per se, may not be the primary determinant of the high mutation load in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Very little recombination is required to counter mutation accumulation, and recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial genomes do experience occasional recombination. Instead, a high rate of accumulation of mildly deleterious mutations in mtDNA may result from the small effective population size associated with effectively haploid inheritance. This type of transmission is nearly ubiquitous among mitochondrial genomes. We also describe an experimental framework using variation in mating system between closely related species to disentangle the root causes of mutation accumulation in mitochondrial genomes.

The control region of maternally and paternally inherited mitochondrial genomes of three species of the sea mussel genus Mytilus

Species of the mussel genus Mytilus possess maternally and paternally transmitted mitochondrial genomes. In the interbreeding taxa Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis, several genomes of both types have been fully sequenced. The genome consists of the coding part (which, in addition to protein and RNA genes, contains several small noncoding sequences) and the main control region (CR), which in turn consists of three distinct parts: the first variable (VD1), the conserved (CD), and the second variable (VD2) domain. The maternal and paternal genomes are very similar in gene content and organization, even though they differ by >20% in primary sequence. They differ even more at VD1 and VD2, yet they are remarkably similar at CD. The complete sequence of a genome from the closely related species M. trossulus was previously reported and found to consist of a maternal-like coding part and a paternal-like and a maternal-like CR. From this and from the fact that it was extracted from a male individual, it was inferred that this is a genome that switched from maternal to paternal transmission. Here we provide clear evidence that this genome is the maternal genome of M. trossulus. We have found that in this genome the tRNA(Gln) in the coding region is apparently defective and that an intact copy of this tRNA occurs in the CR, that one of the two conserved domains is missing essential motifs, and that one of the two first variable domains has a high rate of divergence. These features may explain the large size and mosaic structure of the CR of the maternal genome of M. trossulus. We have also obtained CR sequences of the maternal and paternal genomes of M. californianus, a more distantly related species. We compare the control regions from all three species, focusing on the divergence among genomes of different species origin and among genomes of different transmission routes.