Cytochrome b pseudogene originated from a highly divergent mitochondrial lineage in genus Rupicapra.

Full Abstract

We have identified a nuclear pseudogene (numt) of cytochrome b (cytb) in chamois. The comparison of a fragment of 402 nucleotides of cytb and the pseudogene between the 2 species Rupicapra rupicapra and Rupicapra pyrenaica allowed direct measurement of relative rates and patterns of evolution. Mitochondrial genes evolved 7 to 12 times faster than their nuclear counterparts. Substitutions in the nucleus include a frameshift and a stop codon. Phylogenetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial lineages on Rupicapra and related species showed that the nuclear branch evolved as a functional mitochondrial gene until the split of the 2 species of chamois and as a typical pseudogene later on. We propose that the pseudogene originated from a highly divergent mitochondrial lineage that did not persist in the mitochondrion and transposed to the nucleus in a time close to speciation. The concurrence of highly differentiated lineages at speciation points to hybridization between highly divergent populations.

Author information

Author/s: Rodríguez, Fernando (F); Albornoz, Jesús (J); Domínguez, Ana (A);

Affiliation: the Departamento de Biología Funcional, Area de Genética, Universidad de Oviedo, 33071 Oviedo, Spain.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of heredity (J Hered), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 May-Jun; vol 98 (issue 3) : pp 243-9

Dates: Created 2007/06/20; Completed 2007/09/14;

PMID: 17416931, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00)

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