Evolution of NADH Dehydrogenase Subunit 2 in East African Cichlid Fish

The complete sequence (1047 bp) of the mitochondrially encoded ND2 gene was obtained from 31 species of cichlid fishes to investigate the evolutionary history of the species flocks of the East African lakes. The observed pattern of nucleotide substitution in this sequence is typical of mitochondrial...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular phylogenetics and evolution 1995-12, Vol.4 (4), p.420-432
Main Authors: Kocher, Thomas D., Conroy, Janet A., McKaye, Kenneth R., Stauffer, Jay R., Lockwood, Samuel F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa, Eastern
Animals
Base Sequence
Biological Evolution
Codon - genetics
DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics
Genetic Variation
NADH Dehydrogenase - chemistry
NADH Dehydrogenase - genetics
Perches - classification
Perches - genetics
Phylogeny
Protein Conformation
Species Specificity
Time Factors
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The complete sequence (1047 bp) of the mitochondrially encoded ND2 gene was obtained from 31 species of cichlid fishes to investigate the evolutionary history of the species flocks of the East African lakes. The observed pattern of nucleotide substitution in this sequence is typical of mitochondrial genes, showing a high transition bias and rapid mutational saturation, especially at codon positions where base frequencies are unequal. The base composition of the third position of codons is heterogeneous among species, suggesting frequent shifts in the pattern of substitution. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences shows that the mtDNA variation in Lake Malawi cichlids is nested monophyletically within the range of variation shown by Tanganyikan cichlids. The closest Tanganyikan relatives of the Malawi flock are members of the tribe Tropheini. Classifications based on morphology are generally supported by the mtDNA data, with some significant exceptions in the Tropheini and Lamprologini. Because of an apparently rapid radiation of the Tanganyikan lineages, it is difficult to assess the basal topology of the Tanganyikan radiation at this time. Divergences among tribes are consistent with an intralacustrine radiation within the past 10 million years.
ISSN:1055-7903
1095-9513
DOI:10.1006/mpev.1995.1039