An ancient mitochondrial polymorphism in Adalis bipunctata linked to a sex-ratio-distorting bacterium.

ABSTRACT: Sex-ratio-distorting microbes are common parasites of arthropods. Although the reasons they have invaded and spread though populations are well understood, their subsequent dynamics within those populations are virtually unknown. We have found that different strains of a male-killing Rickettsia bacterium infecting the beetle Adalia bipunctata are associated with distinct mitochondrial haplotypes, which is expected as both the mitochondria and the bacteria are maternally transmitted. These mitochondrial haplotypes shared a common ancestor >2 million years ago, and their overall diversity is significantly greater than expected under neutrality from comparisons with a nuclear gene. Furthermore, a variety of statistical tests show strong deviations from neutrality in mitochondrial but not in n

SUBMITTER: Jiggins FM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1456815 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature