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Migration between nests in the Australian arid‐zone ant Rhytidoponera sp. 12 revealed by DGGE analyses of mitochondrial DNA
Author(s) -
Tek Tay W.,
Cook J. M.,
Rowe D. J.,
Crozier R. H.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-294x.1997.t01-1-00198.x
Subject(s) - biology , mitochondrial dna , haplotype , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , gene flow , ant , genetics , gene , evolutionary biology , ecology , genotype , genetic variation , 16s ribosomal rna
Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of a PCR‐amplified region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) including a large part of the cytochrome b gene revealed four haplotypes among worker ants from 75 colonies of the queenless ant Rhytidoponera sp. 12. The DGGE results were checked by sequencing examples of the haplotypes; all changes were transitions and two haplotypes differed by only a single substitution. Previous work (e.g. Crozier et al. 1984) showed that intranest relatedness is low for nuclear genes yet neighbouring nests are related; gene flow via winged males appeared the best explanation for this phenomenon. Two mtDNA haplotypes were found in 34.7% of the colonies studied, showing that female movement also occurs between nests. Migration of mated individuals on such a large scale when the number of reproductives is relatively small is unexpected (Crozier & Pamilo 1996). An observed tendency to clumping of the haplotypes is in accordance with the wingless nature of the female dispersers.