Misconceptions regarding nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes (Numts) may obscure detection of mitochondrial evolutionary novelties

Abstract

AB Aquatic Biology Contact the journal Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections AB 17:91-96 (2012) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00478 AS I SEE IT Misconceptions regarding nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes (Numts) may obscure detection of mitochondrial evolutionary novelties Nikolaos V. Schizas* Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Isla Magueyes Laboratories, Call Box 9000, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00681, USA *Email: nschizas@gmail.com ABSTRACT: The proliferation of DNA ‘barcoding’ as a way to catalogue all terrestrial and marine species has attracted much-needed attention to the diversity of life. The reliance of barcoding on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) for species identification has brought into the spotlight the use and interpretation of mitochondrial data. An increasing number of mitochondrial-like sequences have been discovered, which are generally regarded as nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes or Numts. The across-the-board approach to categorize unusual mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences as Numts may obscure the detection of evolutionary novelties in mtDNA. Alternative scenarios are presented where unusual mtDNA sequences are not Numts. KEY WORDS: Nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes · Numts · Mitochondrial DNA · mtDNA · Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I · COI · Census of Marine Life Full text in pdf format PreviousCite this article as: Schizas NV (2012) Misconceptions regarding nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes (Numts) may obscure detection of mitochondrial evolutionary novelties. Aquat Biol 17:91-96. https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00478 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AB Vol. 17, No. 1. Online publication date: October 23, 2012 Print ISSN: 1864-7782; Online ISSN: 1864-7790 Copyright © 2012 Inter-Research.