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Intraspecific nucleotide variation at the pheromone binding protein locus in the turnip moth, Agrotis segetum
Author(s) -
LaForest S. M.,
Prestwich G. D.,
Löfstedt C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2583.1999.00143.x
Subject(s) - biology , genetics , noctuidae , intraspecific competition , locus (genetics) , phylogenetic tree , gene , amino acid , concerted evolution , molecular evolution , pheromone , genetic variation , lepidoptera genitalia , botany , zoology
Inter‐ and intraspecific amino acid variability in the pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) of the Lepidoptera is believed to contribute to a molecular mechanism of pheromone blend discrimination. Messenger RNA coding for PBP sequence in Agrotis segetum (Noctuidae) was cloned, and nucleotide and inferred amino acid variation across a 769‐bp region of a PBP locus was studied in two populations. A single gene copy was fully sequenced, revealing an intron/exon structure conserved with distant saturniids. While several nucleotide substitutions are predicted to result in amino acid replacement, tests for the presence of natural selection suggest that the observed variation is neutral. A phylogenetic analysis provides evidence that the two populations are in the process of genetic isolation.