Mitochondrial DNA sequence evolution in sharks: rates, patterns, and phylogenetic inferences.
Abundant representation of sharks in the fossil record makes this group a superb system in which to investigate rates and patterns of molecular evolution and to explore the strengths and weaknesses of phylogenetic inferences from molecular data. In this report, the molecular evolution of the cytochrome b gene in sharks is described and the information related to results from phylogenetic analysis of the data evaluated in the light of a phylogeny derived independently of the molecular data. Across divergent lineages of sharks there is evidence for significant substitution rate variation, departure from compositional equilibrium, and substantial homoplasy; nevertheless, the signal of evolutionary history is evident in patterns of shared transversions and amino acid replacements.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 89154-4004, USA.
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Martin
D000818:Animals; D003573:Cytochrome b Group / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005580:Fossils; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010802:Phylogeny; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012754:Sharks / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
D003573:Cytochrome b Group; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial