Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
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
The editors suggest the following Related Resources on Science sites:
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 »
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Accelerated Species Inventory on Madagascar Using Coalescent-Based Models of Species Delineation.
M. T. Monaghan, R. Wild, M. Elliot, T. Fujisawa, M. Balke, D. J.G. Inward, D. C. Lees, R. Ranaivosolo, P. Eggleton, T. G. Barraclough, et al. (2009)
Syst Biol
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
An examination of phylogenetic models of substitution rate variation among lineages.
Rapidly Evolving Mitochondrial Genome and Directional Selection in Mitochondrial Genes in the Parasitic Wasp Nasonia (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).
D. C. S. G. Oliveira, R. Raychoudhury, D. V. Lavrov, and J. H. Werren (2008)
Mol. Biol. Evol.
25, 2167-2180
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Synonymous and Nonsynonymous Polymorphisms versus Divergences in Bacterial Genomes.
A. L. Hughes, R. Friedman, P. Rivailler, and J. O. French (2008)
Mol. Biol. Evol.
25, 2199-2209
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Individual genetic diversity correlates with the size and spatial isolation of natal colonies in a bird metapopulation.
J. Ortego, J. M. Aparicio, P. J Cordero, and G. Calabuig (2008)
Proc R Soc B
275, 2039-2047
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Parallel Rate Heterogeneity in Chloroplast and Mitochondrial Genomes of Brazil Nut Trees (Lecythidaceae) Is Consistent with Lineage Effects.
D. F. Soria-Hernanz, J. M. Braverman, and M. B. Hamilton (2008)
Mol. Biol. Evol.
25, 1282-1296
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Free radicals run in lizard families.
M. Olsson, M. Wilson, T. Uller, B. Mott, C. Isaksson, M. Healey, and T. Wanger (2008)
Biol Lett
4, 186-188
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Geological Dates and Molecular Rates: Fish DNA Sheds Light on Time Dependency.
C. P. Burridge, D. Craw, D. Fletcher, and J. M. Waters (2008)
Mol. Biol. Evol.
25, 624-633
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Genetic Relationships among Aedes aegypti Collections in Venezuela as Determined by Mitochondrial DNA Variation and Nuclear Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms.
L. Urdaneta-Marquez, C. Bosio, F. Herrera, Y. Rubio-Palis, M. Salasek, and W. C. Black IV (2008)
Am J Trop Med Hyg
78, 479-491
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
The Molecular Basis of Host Adaptation in Cactophilic Drosophila: Molecular Evolution of a Glutathione S-Transferase Gene (GstD1) in Drosophila mojavensis.
Accumulation of slightly deleterious mutations in mitochondrial protein-coding genes of large versus small mammals.
K. Popadin, L. V. Polishchuk, L. Mamirova, D. Knorre, and K. Gunbin (2007)
PNAS
104, 13390-13395
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Variation in Mutation Rate and Polymorphism Among Mitochondrial Genes of Silene vulgaris.
C. M. Barr, S. R. Keller, P. K. Ingvarsson, D. B. Sloan, and D. R. Taylor (2007)
Mol. Biol. Evol.
24, 1783-1791
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
DNA barcoding cannot reliably identify species of the blowfly genus Protocalliphora (Diptera: Calliphoridae).
T.L Whitworth, R.D Dawson, H Magalon, and E Baudry (2007)
Proc R Soc B
274, 1731-1739
|Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
Exceptional longevity in songbirds is associated with high rates of evolution of cytochrome b, suggesting selection for reduced generation of free radicals.
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. 
