Rates of Protein Evolution across the Marsupial Phylogeny: Heterogeneity and Link to Life-History Traits

Abstract Despite the importance of effective population size (Ne) in evolutionary and conservation biology, it remains unclear what factors have an impact on this quantity. The Nearly Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution predicts a faster accumulation of deleterious mutations (and thus a higher dN/...

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Published inGenome biology and evolution Vol. 14; no. 1
Main Authors Luzuriaga-Neira, Agusto R, Alvarez-Ponce, David
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Oxford University Press 04.01.2022
Subjects
Animals
Evolution, Molecular
Life History Traits
Marsupialia - genetics
Phylogeny
Selection, Genetic
effective population size
extinction
life-history traits
marsupials
d N /d S
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Summary:Abstract Despite the importance of effective population size (Ne) in evolutionary and conservation biology, it remains unclear what factors have an impact on this quantity. The Nearly Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution predicts a faster accumulation of deleterious mutations (and thus a higher dN/dS ratio) in populations with small Ne; thus, measuring dN/dS ratios in different groups/species can provide insight into their Ne. Here, we used an exome data set of 1,550 loci from 45 species of marsupials representing 18 of the 22 extant families, to estimate dN/dS ratios across the different branches and families of the marsupial phylogeny. We found a considerable heterogeneity in dN/dS ratios among families and species, which suggests significant differences in their Ne. Furthermore, our multivariate analyses of several life-history traits showed that dN/dS ratios (and thus Ne) are affected by body weight, body length, and weaning age.
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ISSN:1759-6653
1759-6653
DOI:10.1093/gbe/evab277