Pervasive non-random mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in the hybrid water frog Pelophylax esculentus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one type of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) within an individual, is an exception to the maternal transmission of mtDNA and has been observed in several animal species. A central question is whether heteroplasmy among individuals and across generations is mainly influenced by genetic drift or by selection.

Results

We quantified heteroplasmy in eight males, eight females and eight unfertilized eggs per female from a natural population of the hybrid frog species Pelophylax esculentus (between P. ridibundus and P. lessonae). After excluding sequencing error and potential sources of contamination, we found that all individuals and most of the eggs were heteroplasmic, containing 2-5 different haplotypes, from which one was very common

SUBMITTER: Radojicic J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12403311 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature