Evolution of Drosophila mitochondrial DNA and the history of the melanogaster subgroup

The nucleotide sequences of a common region of 15 mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) sampled from the Drosophila melanogaster subgroup were determined. The region is 2527 base pairs long, including most of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 genes punctuated by three tRNA genes. The comparative study revealed (i) the extremely low saturation level of transitional differences, (ii) recombination or variable substitution rates even within species, (iii) long persistence times of distinct types of mtDNA in Drosophila simulans and Drosophila mauritiana, and (iv) an apparent lack of within-type variations in island species. Also found was a high correlation among the transitional rate, the saturation level, and the G + C content (or codon usage). It appears that D. simulans and D. mauritiana have maintained highly structured populations for more than 1 million years. Such structures are consistent with the origination of Drosophila sechellia from D. simulans. Yet geographic isolation is so weak as to show no evidence for further speciation. Moreover, one type of mtDNA shared by D. simulans and D. mauritiana suggests either recent divergence or ongoing introgression.