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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

A Deep-sequencing-assisted, Spontaneous Suppressor Screen in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
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Positive selection on the killer whale mitogenome.

Andrew D Foote1, Phillip A Morin, John W Durban

  • 1Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Volgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark. footead@gmail.com

Biology Letters
|September 3, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) show selected mitochondrial DNA changes linked to metabolic needs. These genetic adaptations in Antarctic ecotypes may enhance energy production and performance.

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Published on: August 24, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics
  • Marine mammal science

Background:

  • Mitochondria are crucial for cellular energy production (up to 95%).
  • Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes may evolve under metabolic selection pressures.
  • Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are globally distributed and ecologically diverse, making them ideal for evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if mitochondrial DNA coding genes in killer whales evolve under positive selection due to metabolic requirements.
  • To identify specific amino acid changes in mtDNA associated with functional adaptations.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes from 139 killer whale individuals.
  • Identification of non-synonymous amino acid substitutions with radical physico-chemical property changes.
  • Assessment of positive selection acting on these amino acid changes.

Main Results:

  • Two instances of positive selection were detected in mtDNA coding genes.
  • Each selected change occurred in a distinct Antarctic pack ice ecotype.
  • Substitutions were linked to altered local polarity, steric constraints, and helical tendencies.

Conclusions:

  • Mitochondrial DNA genes in killer whales can evolve under selection related to metabolic demands.
  • Specific amino acid substitutions may confer functional advantages for metabolic performance in different ecotypes.
  • Findings support the hypothesis of adaptive evolution in mtDNA driven by ecological niche and metabolic requirements.