Variation in Mitochondrial Substitution Rates in Seed Plants
Author Information
Author(s): Mower Jeffrey P, Touzet Pascal, Gummow Julie S, Delph Lynda F, Palmer Jeffrey D
Primary Institution: Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Hypothesis
How often do major increases in synonymous substitution rates occur during plant mitochondrial evolution?
Conclusion
The study found that synonymous substitution rates in plant mitochondria vary widely, with some lineages evolving much faster than others.
Supporting Evidence
- Most plant mitochondrial sequences evolve slowly, but some taxa show highly accelerated rates.
- Synonymous substitution rates vary by four orders of magnitude across seed plants.
- Some plants exhibit both fast and slow evolving mitochondrial genes.
Takeaway
Some plants change their DNA very slowly, while others can change it really fast, like a turtle versus a rabbit.
Methodology
A broad survey of synonymous substitution rates in mitochondrial genes of angiosperms and gymnosperms was conducted using maximum likelihood analyses.
Potential Biases
Potential misidentification of sequences and sequencing errors could affect the results.
Limitations
The study may not account for all potential errors in sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website