Abstract
Current understanding of the population genetics of free-living unicellular eukaryotes is limited, and the amount of genetic variability in these organisms is still a matter of debate. We characterized - reproductively and genetically - worldwide samples of multiple Paramecium species belonging to a cryptic species complex, Paramecium aurelia, whose species have been shown to be reproductively isolated. We found that levels of genetic diversity both in the nucleus and in the mitochondrion are substantial within groups of reproductively compatible P. aurelia strains but drop considerably when strains are partitioned according to their phylogenetic groupings. Our study reveals the existence of discrepancies between the mating behavior of a number of P. aurelia strains and their multilocus genetic profile, a controversial finding that has major consequences for both the current methods of species assignment and the species problem in the P. aurelia complex.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 421-431 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Molecular Biology and Evolution |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 1 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Cryptic species
- Effective population size
- Genetic diversity
- Mating group switching
- Paramecium
- Speciation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Cite this
Genetic diversity in the Paramecium aurelia species complex. / Catania, Francesco; Wurmser, François; Potekhin, Alexey A.; Przyboś, Ewa; Lynch, Michael.
In: Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol. 26, No. 2, 01.02.2009, p. 421-431.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic diversity in the Paramecium aurelia species complex
AU - Catania, Francesco
AU - Wurmser, François
AU - Potekhin, Alexey A.
AU - Przyboś, Ewa
AU - Lynch, Michael
PY - 2009/2/1
Y1 - 2009/2/1
N2 - Current understanding of the population genetics of free-living unicellular eukaryotes is limited, and the amount of genetic variability in these organisms is still a matter of debate. We characterized - reproductively and genetically - worldwide samples of multiple Paramecium species belonging to a cryptic species complex, Paramecium aurelia, whose species have been shown to be reproductively isolated. We found that levels of genetic diversity both in the nucleus and in the mitochondrion are substantial within groups of reproductively compatible P. aurelia strains but drop considerably when strains are partitioned according to their phylogenetic groupings. Our study reveals the existence of discrepancies between the mating behavior of a number of P. aurelia strains and their multilocus genetic profile, a controversial finding that has major consequences for both the current methods of species assignment and the species problem in the P. aurelia complex.
AB - Current understanding of the population genetics of free-living unicellular eukaryotes is limited, and the amount of genetic variability in these organisms is still a matter of debate. We characterized - reproductively and genetically - worldwide samples of multiple Paramecium species belonging to a cryptic species complex, Paramecium aurelia, whose species have been shown to be reproductively isolated. We found that levels of genetic diversity both in the nucleus and in the mitochondrion are substantial within groups of reproductively compatible P. aurelia strains but drop considerably when strains are partitioned according to their phylogenetic groupings. Our study reveals the existence of discrepancies between the mating behavior of a number of P. aurelia strains and their multilocus genetic profile, a controversial finding that has major consequences for both the current methods of species assignment and the species problem in the P. aurelia complex.
KW - Cryptic species
KW - Effective population size
KW - Genetic diversity
KW - Mating group switching
KW - Paramecium
KW - Speciation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58449122276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=58449122276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/molbev/msn266
DO - 10.1093/molbev/msn266
M3 - Article
C2 - 19023087
AN - SCOPUS:58449122276
VL - 26
SP - 421
EP - 431
JO - Molecular Biology and Evolution
JF - Molecular Biology and Evolution
SN - 0737-4038
IS - 2
ER -