Genome size differences in Hyalella cryptic species

Genome. 2012 Feb;55(2):134-9. doi: 10.1139/g11-085. Epub 2012 Jan 20.

Abstract

The Hyalella azteca (Saussure) complex includes numerous amphipod cryptic species in freshwater habitats in America as revealed by DNA barcoding surveys. Two ecomorphs (small and large) have evolved numerous times in this complex. Few phenotypic criteria have been found to differentiate between the numerous species of this complex. The present study aims to explore genome size differences between some species of the H. azteca complex co-occurring in a Canadian boreal lake using flow cytometry. Nuclear DNA content was estimated for 50 individuals belonging to six COI haplotypes corresponding to four provisional species of the H. azteca complex. Species from the large ecomorph had C-values significantly larger than species from the small ecomorph, whereas slight differences were found among species of the small ecomorph. These differences in genome sizes might be linked to ecological and physiological differences among species of the H. azteca complex.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amphipoda / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / genetics
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Genome Size / genetics*
  • Haplotypes / genetics
  • Lakes
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Quebec
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Electron Transport Complex IV