Premium
THE ORIGIN OF WEST EUROPEAN SUBSPECIES OF HONEYBEES ( APIS MELLIFERA ): NEW INSIGHTS FROM MICROSATELLITE AND MITOCHONDRIAL DATA
Author(s) -
Franck Pierre,
Garnery Lionel,
Solignac Michel,
Cornuet JeanMarie
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1998.tb01839.x
Subject(s) - biology , cline (biology) , subspecies , haplotype , mitochondrial dna , microsatellite , phylogeography , peninsula , evolutionary biology , hybrid zone , zoology , ecology , phylogenetics , genetic variation , gene flow , population , genetics , genotype , allele , demography , sociology , gene
Apis mellifera is composed of three evolutionary branches including mainly African (branch A), western and northern European (branch M), and southeastern European (branch C) populations. The existence of morphological clines extending from the equator to the Polar Circle through Morocco and Spain raised the hypothesis that the branch M originated in Africa. Mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed that branches A and M were characterized by highly diverged lineages implying very remote links between both branches. It also revealed that mtDNA haplotypes from lineages A coexisted with haplotypes M in the Iberian Peninsula and formed a south‐north frequency cline, suggesting that this area could be a secondary contact zone between the two branches. By analyzing 11 populations sampled along a France‐Spain/Portugal‐Morocco‐Guinea transect at 8 microsatellite loci and the Dra I RFLP of the COI‐COII mtDNA marker, we show that Iberian populations do not present any trace of “africanization” and are very similar to French populations when considering microsatellite markers. Therefore, the Iberian Peninsula is not a transition area. The higher haplotype A variability observed in Spanish and Portuguese samples compared to that found in Africa is explained by a higher mutation rate and multiple and recent introductions. Selection appears to be the best explanation to the morphological and allozymic clines and to the diffusion and maintenance of African haplotypes in Spain and Portugal.