Evolution of asexuality in Daphnia pulex: Implications of mitochondrial-DNA analysis.

A large scale survey of natural populations of Daphnia pulex was undertaken in the spring of 1985. Seventy seven populations were sampled from southwestern Ontario and central Michigan. Clones were also collected from Churchill, Manitoba. Clonal characteristics were determined by protein electrophoresis and restriction fragment pattern analysis of mitochondrial DNA. A large amount of genetic variability was revealed by both the electrophoretic and mitochondrial data sets. A total of 104 genetically distinct clones were discovered. Comparison of the two data sets revealed that the obligate asexuals must have arisen polyphyletically from cyclic parthenogenetic ancestors. Contagious spread of a dominant sex-limited meiosis suppressor is the most probable mechanism by which such a process could have occurred. Asexuality apparently arose in the north and is presently spreading southward at the expense of sexual populations. These results have important implications for the evaluation of the ecological and evolutionary potential of asexuals. The observed distribution of asexuals may reflect intrinsic genetic constraints rather than an optimization of breeding strategy by natural selection.Dept. of Biological Sciences. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1988 .S735. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-04, Section: B, page: 0986. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1988.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Sciences

Grantor

University of Windsor

Year dc:date.issued

1988

Author dc:creator

• Stanton, David Jerold.

Licence

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_CA

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14776/1606

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwindsor.scholaris.ca:20.500.14776/1606