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M Solignac

Publications and source records attributed to M Solignac.

70 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Evolutionary history of the honey bee Apis mellifera inferred from mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Variability of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. has been investigated by restriction and sequence analyses on a sample of 68 colonies from ten different subspecies. The 19 mtDNA types detected are clustered in three major phylogenetic lineages. These clades correspond well to three groups of populations with distinct geographical distributions: branch A for African subspecies (intermissa, monticola, scutellata, andansonii and capensis), branch C for North Mediterranean subspecies (caucasica, carnica and ligustica) and branch M for the West European populations (mellifera subspecies). These results partially confirm previous hypotheses based on morphometrical and allozymic studies, the main difference concerning North African populations, now assigned to branch A instead of branch M. The pattern of spatial structuring suggests the Middle East as the centre of dispersion of the species, in accordance with the geographic areas of the other species of the same genus. Based on a conservative 2% divergence rate per Myr, the separation of the three branches has been dated at about 1 Myr BP.

Animals↗

Evolution of compensatory substitutions through G.U intermediate state in Drosophila rRNA.

It has often been suggested that the frequently observed Watson-Crick base-pair compensatory substitutions in RNA helical structures occur mainly through a slightly deleterious G.U intermediate state. We have scored base substitutions in a set of 82 related Drosophila species for the D1 and D2 variable domains of the large rRNA subunit. In all locations where a G-C in equilibrium with A-U compensatory base change occurred, a G.U pair has been observed in one or several species. As this dominant process implies two transitions, their rate was far higher in paired regions (92%) than in unpaired regions (47%). The other types of compensation were rarer and no intermediate states were observed. Most of the G.U base pairs observed in a species are not slightly deleterious. The rate of evolution of compensatory substitution is close to that predicted by a simple model of compensatory substitution through slightly deleterious or slightly advantageous G.U pairs, although some exceptions are presented.

Animals↗

Molecular phylogeny of the subgenus Sophophora of Drosophila derived from large subunit of ribosomal RNA sequences.

RNA sequencing has been used to assess the relationships among species of the subgenus Sophophora of the genus Drosophila. Two divergent domains, D1 and D2, of the large ribosomal RNA (28S), totalling 550 nucleotides have been sequenced using the rRNA direct sequencing method. A tree has been reconstructed from the neighbor-joining algorithm and the confidence intervals were evaluated by the bootstrap procedure. Results have shown that the branching of the willistoni and saltans groups of the subgenus Sophophora is very ancient and probably predates that of the subgenus Drosophila. The other groups and subgroups of Sophophora are clustered in three main lineages: 1) the melanogaster and oriental subgroups; 2) the montium subgroup; 3) the ananassae subgroup of the melanogaster group clustered with the fima and obscura groups. Thus, in comparison with our results, several taxa of various ranks appear paraphyletic (the genus Drosophila, the subgenus Sophophora and the melanogaster group). Our biochemical phylogeny is only in partial agreement with the pattern of Throckmorton's radiations as well as with classical taxonomy, both based on morphological data.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence in the Melanogaster and oriental species subgroups of Drosophila.

The nucleotide sequence of a segment of the mitochondrial DNA from three Drosophila species (D. erecta, D. eugracilis, and D. takahashii), belonging to different subgroups of the melanogaster group has been determined. The segment encompasses three complete tRNA genes (tRNAtrp, tRNAcys, and tRNAtyr) and portions of two protein-coding genes: the subunit 2 of the NADH dehydrogenase (ND2) and the subunit 1 of the cytochrome oxidase (COI). Comparisons also involve homologous sequences already known for four other Drosophila species of the melanogaster group. Length differences were confined in the intergenic region where a long stretch of AT repeats was observed in one of the species analyzed. The three tRNA genes exhibit very different evolutionary rates, the most slowly evolving one, tRNAtyr, is adjacent to the 5' end of COI; tRNAs in similar positions have been previously shown to evolve slowly because they are probably involved in transcript processing. Although the rate of synonymous substitutions was very similar between ND2 and COI genes there were strong discrepancies between them in terms of the number of nonsynonymous substitutions. Differences have also been found in G + C content of the genes, which are likely to be linked to different selective pressures. There is a reduction in G + C content in the region where selective constraints are reduced. This suggests the existence of different levels of constraints along the sequenced segment. An overall analysis of the types of substitutions showed a decrease in A + T content during the course of evolution of the species.

Animals↗

Putative origin and function of the intergenic region between COI and COII of Apis mellifera L. mitochondrial DNA.

The mitochondrial genome of honeybees is characterized by the presence of a long intergenic sequence located between the COI and COII genes. In addition, the length of this sequence varies between and within subspecies. Four length categories (200, 250, 450 and 650 bp) have been found in 63 sampled colonies. Analysis of the sequence of the largest type reveals the existence of two units: P (54 bp, 100% A + T) and Q (196 bp, 93.4% A + T). The lengths encountered in the sample are explained by the following combinations: Q, PQ, PQQ and PQQQ. According to similarities in primary and secondary structures, the sequence Q has been divided into three parts: Q1 (similar to the 3' end of the COI gene), Q2 (similar to the neighboring tRNA(leu) gene) and Q3 (highly similar to the P sequence). These relationships led us to hypothesize that these sequences, which do not have any counterpart in Drosophila yakuba mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), arose by tandem duplication. The usual location of length variation in mtDNA control regions prompted us to examine the hypothesis that this COI-COII intergenic region might contain an origin of replication. High A + T content, stability profile, hairpin and cloverleaf putative secondary structures are all in favor of this hypothesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Discrepancy in divergence of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of Drosophila teissieri and Drosophila yakuba.

Restriction sites were compared in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules from representatives of two closely related species of fruit flies: nine strains of Drosophila teissieri and eight strains of Drosophila yakuba. Nucleotide diversities among D. teissieri strains and among D. yakuba strains were 0.07% and 0.03%, respectively, and the nucleotide distance between the species was 0.22%. Also determined was the nucleotide sequence of a 2305-nucleotide pair (ntp) segment of the mtDNA molecule of D. teissieri that contains the noncoding adenine + thymine (A + T)-rich region (1091 ntp) as well as the genes for the mitochondrial small-subunit rRNA, tRNA(f-met), tRNA(gln), and tRNA(ile), and portions of the ND2 and tRNA(Val) genes. This sequence differs from the corresponding segment of the D. yakuba mtDNA by base substitutions at 0.1% and 0.8% of the positions in the coding and noncoding regions, respectively. The higher divergence due to base substitutions in the A + T-rich region is accompanied by a greater number of insertions/deletions than in the coding regions. From alignment of the D. teissieri A + T-rich sequence with those of D. yakuba and Drosophila virilis, it appears that the 40% of this sequence that lies adjacent to the tRNA(ile) gene has been highly conserved. Divergence between the entire D. teissieri and D. yakuba mtDNA molecules, estimated from the sequences, was 0.3%; this value is close to the value (0.22%) obtained from the restriction analysis, but 10 times lower than the value estimated from published DNA hybridization results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Africa↗

The generation of transplasmic Drosophila simulans by cytoplasmic injection: effects of segregation and selection on the perpetuation of mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy.

Experimental transplasmic Drosophila simulans were obtained through cytoplasm microinjection between eggs carrying different mitochondrial genomes. These genomes (siII and siIII) show a 1.5% difference in their sequences. They produced a large number of heteroplasmic flies in their F1 progeny and several flies were still heteroplasmic at the eighth generation. The distribution of frequencies of mitochondrial genotypes in the offspring of heteroplasmic females suggests that the stochastic processes involved in the evolution of experimental heteroplasmy of multiple nucleotide sites are very similar to those previously described for spontaneous length heteroplasmy. In addition, the siII genome has a noticeable advantage over the siIII genome in both directions of injection. This advantage is estimated at 58% per fly generation and 5% per cell generation.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial DNA variability in Drosophila simulans: quasi absence of polymorphism within each of the three cytoplasmic races.

Nucleotide variability of mtDNA extracted from 144 isofemale lines collected in the whole range of D. simulans was analysed with 10-15 restriction enzymes and 73 lines were studied using one or a few enzymes. All clones were distributed into 3 mitochondrial genomes, siI, siII and siIII. These types are allopatric and can define geographic races. Mixed populations occur only in Madagascar and Réunion, where siII and siIII are found together. Among 40 sites detected with 10 enzymes, the variability of the coding region is extremely low, with one or no polymorphic restriction sites depending on the type. The control A + T-rich region is more variable in length and in restriction sites, and allows subtypes to be designated. Several lines were heteroplasmic for the length of the genome. These results are relevant to the evolutionary history of the species, its recent worldwide extension and to probable founder effects at the origin of each of the three types.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial DNA evolution in the melanogaster species subgroup of Drosophila.

Detailed restriction maps (40 cleavage sites on average) of mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) from the eight species of the melanogaster species subgroup of Drosophila were established. Comparison of the cleavage sites allowed us to build a phylogenetic tree based on the matrix of nucleotide distances and to select the most parsimonious network. The two methods led to similar results, which were compared with those in the literature obtained from nuclear characters. The three chromosomally homosequential species D. simulans, D. mauritiana, and D. sechellia are mitochondrially very related, but exhibit complex phylogenetic relationships. D. melanogaster is their closest relative, and the four species form a monophyletic group (the D. melanogaster complex), which is confirmed by the shared unusual length of their mt genomes (18-19 kb). The other four species of the subgroup (D. yakuba, D. teissieri, D. erecta, and D. orena) are characterized by a much shorter mt genome (16-16.5 kb). The monophyletic character of the D. yakuba complex, however, is questionable. Two species of this complex, D. yakuba and D. teissieri, are mitochondrially indistinguishable (at the level of our investigation) in spite of their noticeable allozymic and chromosomal divergence. Finally, mtDNA distances were compared with the nuclear-DNA distances thus far established. These sequences seem to evolve at rather similar rates, the mtDNA rate being barely double that of nuclear DNA.

Animals↗

Intra-individual length heterogeneity of Rana esculenta mitochondrial DNA.

Mitochondrial DNA extracted from Rana esculenta oocytes appears heterogeneous in size. The length of these molecules varies continuously from 18,700 bp to 19,700 bp. Each animal is heteroplasmic and can be characterized by the range of the variation (400-700 bp) and the extreme sizes of the various molecules it carries. The variable region of the genome has been localized between the coding region and the replication origin area.

Animals↗

[Isoenzymatic strains of Trypanosoma cruzi: recent or ancient, homogeneous or heterogeneous origin?].

Genetic variability studied among 13 Trypanosoma cruzi laboratory reference stocks confirms the existence of three principal isozymic categories. As the main part of enzymic variability is now recognized, it seems possible to attribute any stock to the taxon T. cruzi with safety. Genetic parameters allow to infer two main hypotheses relative to the evolutionary origin of these categories: ancient origin (either by mitotic evolution or by speciation), or recent origin (by clone sampling among a sexual ancestral population). The possibility of a heterogeneous origin of the strains is discussed.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in Drosophila mauritiana.

Mitochondrial DNA extracted from an isofemale strain of Drosophila mauritiana (subgroup melanogaster) appeared to be heterogeneous in size. A short genome [S; 18,500 base pairs (bp)] and a longer one (L; 19,000 bp) coexist in the preparation. The additional 500 bp have been located within the A+T-rich region. Hpa I digest patterns suggest that the S genome may carry a duplication of a 500-bp sequence including an Hpa I site and that the L genome may carry a triplication of the same sequence. At the 30th generation of the isofemale strain, 60 female genotypes were examined individually. Half of the files were pure either for the S or the L DNA. The remaining 50% exhibited various degrees of heteroplasmy for the two DNA types. Among metazoan animals, this D. mauritiana strain offers an exceptional situation with regard to the number of individuals heterogeneous for mtDNA and the relative stability of heteroplasmy through generations.

Animals↗

Geographical overlap of two mitochondrial genomes in Spanish honeybees (Apis mellifera iberica).

Restriction enzyme cleavage maps of mitochondrial DNA from the Spanish honeybee, Apis mellifera iberica (Hymenoptera: Apidae), were compared with those from the European subspecies A. m. mellifera, A. m. ligustica, and A. m. carnica, and the African subspecies A. m. intermissa and A. m. scutellata. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the two African subspecies can be distinguished by restriction fragment polymorphisms revealed by Hinf I digests. Two distinct mtDNA types were found among Spanish honeybees: a west European mellifera-like type, which predominates in the north of Spain, and an African intermissa-like type, which predominates in the south. Spain appears to be a region of contact and hybridization between the two subspecies A. m. intermissa and A. m. mellifera, which respectively represent African and west European honeybee lineages. This natural boundary between European and African honeybee populations in the Old World may provide a model for predicting the eventual outcome of the colonization of North America by introduced African honeybees.

Africa↗