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Mitochondrial DNA recombination in a free-ranging Australian lizard

Ujvari, Beata LU ; Dowton, M and Madsen, Thomas LU (2007) In Biology letters 3(2). p.189-192
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the traditional workhorse for reconstructing evolutionary events. The frequent use of mtDNA in such analyses derives from the apparent simplicity of its inheritance: maternal and lacking bi-parental recombination. However, in hybrid zones, the reproductive barriers are often not completely developed, resulting in the breakdown of male mitochondrial elimination mechanisms, leading to leakage of paternal mitochondria and transient heteroplasmy, resulting in an increased possibility of recombination. Despite the widespread occurrence of heteroplasmy and the presence of the molecular machinery necessary for recombination, we know of no documented example of recombination of mtDNA in any terrestrial wild vertebrate... (More)
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the traditional workhorse for reconstructing evolutionary events. The frequent use of mtDNA in such analyses derives from the apparent simplicity of its inheritance: maternal and lacking bi-parental recombination. However, in hybrid zones, the reproductive barriers are often not completely developed, resulting in the breakdown of male mitochondrial elimination mechanisms, leading to leakage of paternal mitochondria and transient heteroplasmy, resulting in an increased possibility of recombination. Despite the widespread occurrence of heteroplasmy and the presence of the molecular machinery necessary for recombination, we know of no documented example of recombination of mtDNA in any terrestrial wild vertebrate population. By sequencing the entire mitochondrial genome (16 761 bp), we present evidence for mitochondrial recombination in the hybrid zone of two mitochondrial haplotypes in the Australian frillneck lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii). (Less)
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; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
mitochondrial recombination, frillneck lizard, hybrid zone
in
Biology letters
volume
3
issue
2
pages
189 - 192
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • wos:000244947700023
  • scopus:35248880386
ISSN
1744-9561
DOI
10.1098/rsbl.2006.0587
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dd03561c-9ace-46b0-ae0e-8d0b7fd89e2a (old id 167268)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:39:24
date last changed
2022-04-05 02:57:30
@article{dd03561c-9ace-46b0-ae0e-8d0b7fd89e2a,
  abstract     = {{Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the traditional workhorse for reconstructing evolutionary events. The frequent use of mtDNA in such analyses derives from the apparent simplicity of its inheritance: maternal and lacking bi-parental recombination. However, in hybrid zones, the reproductive barriers are often not completely developed, resulting in the breakdown of male mitochondrial elimination mechanisms, leading to leakage of paternal mitochondria and transient heteroplasmy, resulting in an increased possibility of recombination. Despite the widespread occurrence of heteroplasmy and the presence of the molecular machinery necessary for recombination, we know of no documented example of recombination of mtDNA in any terrestrial wild vertebrate population. By sequencing the entire mitochondrial genome (16 761 bp), we present evidence for mitochondrial recombination in the hybrid zone of two mitochondrial haplotypes in the Australian frillneck lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii).}},
  author       = {{Ujvari, Beata and Dowton, M and Madsen, Thomas}},
  issn         = {{1744-9561}},
  keywords     = {{mitochondrial recombination; frillneck lizard; hybrid zone}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{189--192}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Biology letters}},
  title        = {{Mitochondrial DNA recombination in a free-ranging Australian lizard}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2006.0587}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rsbl.2006.0587}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}