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Population Size Does Not Influence Mitochondrial Genetic Diversity in Animals
Eric Bazin,Sylvain Glémin,Nicolas Galtier*
Within-species genetic diversity is thought to reflect populationsize, history, ecology, and ability to adapt. Using a comprehensivecollection of polymorphism data sets covering 3000 animal species,we show that the widely used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markerdoes not reflect species abundance or ecology: mtDNA diversityis not higher in invertebrates than in vertebrates, in marinethan in terrestrial species, or in small than in large organisms.Nuclear loci, in contrast, fit these intuitive expectations.The unexpected mitochondrial diversity distribution is explainedby recurrent adaptive evolution, challenging the neutral theoryof molecular evolution and questioning the relevance of mtDNAin biodiversity and conservation studies.
CNRS UMR 5171–Génome, Populations, Interactions, Adaptation–Université Montpellier 2 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: galtier{at}univ-montp2.fr
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In Science Magazine
LETTERS
Oliver F. Berry;, John P. Wares, Paul H. Barber, Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra, Erik E. Sotka, Robert J. Toonen;, E. Bazin, S. Glémin, and N. Galtier (1 December 2006) Science314 (5804), 1388.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.314.5804.1388] |Full Text »|PDF »
TECHNICAL COMMENTS
Connie J. Mulligan, Andrew Kitchen, and Michael M. Miyamoto (1 December 2006) Science314 (5804), 1390a.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1132585] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
PERSPECTIVES
Adam Eyre-Walker (28 April 2006) Science312 (5773), 537.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1127182] |Summary »|Full Text »|PDF »
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3000 animal species, we show that the widely used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker does not reflect species abundance or ecology: mtDNA diversity is not higher in invertebrates than in vertebrates, in marine than in terrestrial species, or in small than in large organisms. Nuclear loci, in contrast, fit these intuitive expectations. The unexpected mitochondrial diversity distribution is explained by recurrent adaptive evolution, challenging the neutral theory of molecular evolution and questioning the relevance of mtDNA in biodiversity and conservation studies. 
