title: Heteroplasmy and evidence for recombination in the mitochondrial control region of the flatfish Platichthys flesus.
abstract: The general assumption that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) does not undergo recombination has been challenged recently in invertebrates. Here we present the first direct evidence for recombination in the mtDNA of a vertebrate, the flounder Platichthys flesus. The control region in the mtDNA of this flatfish is characterized by the presence of a variable number of tandem repeats and a high level of heteroplasmy. Two types of repeats were recognized, differing by two C-T point mutations. Most individuals carry a pure "C" or a pure "T" array, but one individual showed a compound "CT" array. Such a compound array is evidence for recombination in the mtDNA control region from the flounder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands. g.hoarau@biol.rug.nl
authors.forename: Galice
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoarau
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holla
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lescasse
authors.forename: Wytze T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.forename: Jeanine L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005432:Flounder / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial