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Analysis of Female-Transmitted Mitochondrial DNA Open-Reading Frames in the Freshwater Mussel Genus Pyganodon
Ruminas, Andrew
2011, BS, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Biological Sciences.
Previous studies of the unique system of mitochondrial inheritance of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionoida) known as Doubly Uniparental Inheritance (DUI) have indicated the existence of two novel gender-specific protein-coding genes, the F-orf and the M-orf. Although there is evidence to support the hypothesis that these genes are involved in sex determination, very little is known about the evolution and structure of their protein products. In this thesis, the F-orf of the genus Pyganodon was sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated Fcox2-Fcox1 and F-orf sequences reveal P. grandis as a paraphyletic group and P. lacustris and P. fragilis are monophyletic groups. Furthermore, results indicate a considerable contrast in the degree of positive selection acting on amino acid positions in the F-orf versus the Fcox2-Fcox1 sequences, as multiple amino acid positions in the F-orf are experiencing diversifying
selection. Additional findings are the predictions that all F-ORF proteins in Pyganodon possess a single, conserved trans-membrane helix (TMH) near the N-terminus, as well as other conserved, functional motifs. These results represent information critical to investigating the functional nature of the F-orf and its evolutionary history.
Walter Hoeh, PhD (Advisor)
Arne Gericke, PhD (Committee Member)
Jennifer Marcinkiewicz, PhD (Committee Member)
Brett Ellman, PhD (Committee Member)
54 p.

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Ruminas, A. (2011). Analysis of Female-Transmitted Mitochondrial DNA Open-Reading Frames in the Freshwater Mussel Genus Pyganodon. (Electronic Thesis or Dissertation). Retrieved from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

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Ruminas, Andrew. "Analysis of Female-Transmitted Mitochondrial DNA Open-Reading Frames in the Freshwater Mussel Genus Pyganodon." Electronic Thesis or Dissertation. Kent State University, 2011. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. 20 Sep 2017.

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Ruminas, Andrew "Analysis of Female-Transmitted Mitochondrial DNA Open-Reading Frames in the Freshwater Mussel Genus Pyganodon." Electronic Thesis or Dissertation. Kent State University, 2011. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

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