The molecular evolution of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation genes in the Order Passeriformes
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: Differences in organismal life-history characteristics are often related to variation in an organisms' energy expenditure.For example, tropical bird species show a significantly slower "pace of life" in terms of increased longevity, reduced fecundity and faster maturation when compared with temperate species and this slower pace is correlated with a reduced basal metabolic rate (BMR).Differences in BMR could have a genetic basis yet the mechanisms governing energy expenditure remain unclear.Genes encoding proteins involved in crucial energetic pathways present logical candidates to explore the role of selection as a cause of energetic differences between species.The distribution of certain bird families in both tropical and temperate environments offers a unique opportunity to study the molecular evolution of these physiological adaptations through paired comparisons of mitochondrial DNA evolution among confamilial species.Here, I explored the role of evolution of mitochondrial proteins as a genetic cause for variation in mass-organismal energy expenditure by examining the role of selection on the 13 mitochondrial genes encoding proteins involved in the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS).I sequenced the OXPHOS mitogenome of 14 species of birds from the Order Passeriformes in paired confamilial groupings from both temperate and tropical environments and analyzed the molecular evolution of these genes as well as how the Dr.Joseph B. Williams for assistance with the physiological facets of the project and Dr. Laura Kubatko for discussion of statistics and phylogenetic concepts.Thanks to both Dr. Popko Wiersma and Jennifer Ro for the collection of all sample material from both the temperate and tropical regions.Special thanks to Jose Diaz who helped with logistics of mitochondrial sequencing and his ability to truly teach someone how to work in a laboratory setting.Also, thanks to the members of both the Gibbs lab and the Williams lab for discussion of results and analysis and help in running many of the programs used in my study.I would like to thank the Ohio State University Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology for the variety of teaching associateships that have supported my work.Finally, I thank my wife, Anne for her patience and support.
Author: Anthony C Fries
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2597290286