Increased mitochondrial mutation frequency after an island colonization: positive selection or accumulation of slightly deleterious mutations?

ABSTRACT: Island colonizations are excellent models for studying early processes of evolution. We found in a previous study on mice that had colonized the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen Archipelago about 200 years ago that they were derived from a single founder lineage and that this showed an unexpectedly large number of new mutations in the mitochondrial D-loop. To assess whether positive selection has played a role in the emergence of these variants, we have obtained 16 full mitochondrial genome sequences from these mice. For comparison, we have compiled 57 mitochondrial genome sequences from laboratory inbred lines that became established about 100 years ago, also starting from a single founder lineage. We find that the island mice and the laboratory lines show very similar mutation frequencies and pat

SUBMITTER: Hardouin EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3639765 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature