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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Mitochondrial DNA intra-individual variation in a bumblebee species: A challenge for evolutionary studies and molecular identification

Full text
Author(s):
Ricardo, Paulo Cseri [1] ; Francoso, Elaine [1] ; Arias, Maria Cristina [1]
Total Authors: 3
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Genet & Biol Evolut, Inst Biociencias, Rua Matao 277, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 1
Document type: Journal article
Source: MITOCHONDRION; v. 53, p. 243-254, JUL 2020.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions have been widely used as molecular markers in evolutionary studies and species identification. However, the presence of heteroplasmy and NUMTs may represent obstacles. Heteroplasmy is a state where an organism has different mitochondrial haplotypes. NUMTs are nuclear pseudogenes originating from mtDNA sequences transferred to nuclear DNA. Evidences of heteroplasmy were already verified in the bumblebee Bombus mono in an earlier study. The present work investigated in more detail the presence of infra-individual haplotypes variation in this species. Heteroplasmy was detected in individuals from all the ten sampled locations, with an average of six heteroplasmic haplotypes per individual. In addition, some of these heteroplasmic haplotypes were shared among individuals from different locations, suggesting the existence of stable heteroplasmy in B. mono. These results demonstrated that heteroplasmy is likely to affect inferences based on mtDNA analysis, especially in phylogenetic, phylogeographic and population genetics studies. In addition, NUMTs were also detected. These sequences showed divergence of 2.7% to 12% in relation to the mitochondrial haplotypes. These levels of divergence could mislead conclusions in evolutionary studies and affect species identification through DNA barcoding. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 16/24669-5 - Genomics and evolutionary studies on bees
Grantee:Maria Cristina Arias
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
FAPESP's process: 14/25023-6 - Numts in Meliponini (Hymenoptera: Apidae): genomic prospection, origin and evolution
Grantee:Elaine Aparecida Françoso
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 13/12530-4 - Population, evolutionary and genomic studies in bees
Grantee:Maria Cristina Arias
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants