title: Molecular prospecting for cryptic species of nematodes: mitochondrial DNA versus internal transcribed spacer.
abstract: DNA sequence divergence at internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS-1 and ITS-2) was compared with divergence at mitochondrial cox1 or nad4 loci in pairs of congeneric nematode species. Mitochondrial sequences accumulate substitutions much more quickly than internal transcribed spacer, the difference being most striking in the most closely related species pairs. Thus, mitochondrial DNA may be the best choice for applications in which one is using sequence data on small numbers of individuals to search for potential cryptic species. On the other hand, internal transcribed spacer remains an excellent tool for DNA diagnostics (quickly distinguishing between known species) owing to its lower level of intraspecific polymorphism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. blouinm@bcc.orst.edu
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Blouin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009348:Nematoda / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D018509:DNA, Helminth; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV