title: Mitochondrial whims: metabolic rate, longevity and the rate of molecular evolution.
abstract: The evolutionary rate of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is highly variable across lineages in animals, and particularly in mammals. This variation has been interpreted as reflecting variations in metabolic rate: mitochondrial respiratory activity would tend to generate mutagenic agents, thus increasing the mutation rate. Here we review recent evidence suggesting that a direct, mechanical effect of species metabolic rate on mtDNA evolutionary rate is unlikely. We suggest that natural selection could act to reduce the (somatic) mtDNA mutation rate in long-lived species, in agreement with the mitochondrial theory of ageing.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, CNRS UMR 5554, Université Montpellier 2, Place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France. galtier@univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Galtier
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Jobson
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nabholz
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glémin
authors.forename: Pierre U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Blier