title: Gender-associated mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in the venerid clam Tapes philippinarum (Mollusca Bivalvia).
abstract: This paper provides evidence of a gender-associated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy in the clam Tapes philippinarum. The pattern of tissue distribution of the two observed mtDNA types (referred to as M and F) parallels that of the doubly uniparental inheritance system of Mytilus. The mitochondrial genetic features of the clam are related to a different rate of evolution of the M- and F-type mtDNAs. Since clams are known to be phylogenetically very distant from mussels, the present findings support the hypothesis that the mechanism producing gender-associated heteroplasmy should be considered an ancestral character in the Bivalvia.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica Sperimentale, via Selmi 3, Università di Bologna, 40126, Italy. mpassa@alma.unibo.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passamonti
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006066:Gonads / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012723:Sex; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal