Species-wide genetic variation and demographic history of Drosophila sechellia, a species lacking population structure.

ABSTRACT: Long-term persistence of species characterized by a reduced effective population size is still a matter of debate that would benefit from the description of new relevant biological models. The island endemic specialist Drosophila sechellia has received considerable attention in evolutionary genetic studies. On the basis of the analysis of a limited number of strains, a handful of studies have reported a strikingly depleted level of genetic variation but little is known about its demographic history. We extended analyses of nucleotide polymorphism in D. sechellia to a species-wide level using 10 nuclear genes sequenced in 10 populations. We confirmed that D. sechellia exhibits little nucleotide-sequence variation. It is characterized by a low effective population size, >10-fold lower than t

SUBMITTER: Legrand D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2728859 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature