biostudies-literatureUnknown17(7)Goncalves LTCAPES/PRINTConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e TecnológicoCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorMitochondria play a central role in cellular respiration, but require close coevolution with the nuclear genome for proper function. This process, termed mitonuclear coevolution, is poorly understood on species-level evolutionary timescales, despite its role in speciation. Here, we investigate mitonuclear coevolution in bumblebees (Bombus), a group of ecologically diverse pollinators with rapid mitochondrial (mt) DNA evolution. Leveraging genomic data from a comprehensive set of 55 bumblebee species, we quantified the evolutionary rate correlation (ERC) between mt genes and nuclear genes that interact with mitochondria (N-mt). We found a strong ERC between mt and N-mt genes, but not among mt genes and random nuclear genes, supporting the mitonuclear coevolution hypothesis. Additionally, weGenome biology and evolutionevaf123https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12223992biostudies-literatureMitonuclear Coevolution in Bumblebees (Bombus): Genomic Signatures and Its Role in Climatic Niche Adaptation.PMC12223992Francoso EGoncalves LTDepra MPezzi PHfalseMitonuclear Coevolution in Bumblebees (Bombus): Genomic Signatures and Its Role in Climatic Niche Adaptation.Mitochondria play a central role in cellular respiration, but require close coevolution with the nuclear genome for proper function. This process, termed mitonuclear coevolution, is poorly understood on species-level evolutionary timescales, despite its role in speciation. Here, we investigate mitonuclear coevolution in bumblebees (Bombus), a group of ecologically diverse pollinators with rapid mitochondrial (mt) DNA evolution. Leveraging genomic data from a comprehensive set of 55 bumblebee species, we quantified the evolutionary rate correlation (ERC) between mt genes and nuclear genes that interact with mitochondria (N-mt). We found a strong ERC between mt and N-mt genes, but not among mt genes and random nuclear genes, supporting the mitonuclear coevolution hypothesis. Additionally, we2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jul2025-08-14T03:05:49.353Z2025-08-14T03:05:49.353ZS-EPMC122239924050991310.1093/gbe/evaf123