Convergent patterns of evolution of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes in electric fishes.

ABSTRACT: The ability to generate and detect electric fields has evolved in several groups of fishes as a means of communication, navigation and, occasionally, predation. The energetic burden required can account for up to 20% of electric fishes' daily energy expenditure. Despite this, molecular adaptations that enable electric fishes to meet the metabolic demands of bioelectrogenesis remain unknown. Here, we investigate the molecular evolution of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes in the two most diverse clades of weakly electric fishes-South American Gymnotiformes and African Mormyroidea, using codon-based likelihood approaches. Our analyses reveal that although mitochondrial OXPHOS genes are generally subject to strong purifying selection, this constraint is significan

SUBMITTER: Elbassiouny AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6939368 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature