Molecular Population Genetics of Accessory Gland Protein Genes and Testis-Expressed Genes in Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae

Abstract

Molecular population genetic investigation of Drosophila male reproductive genes has focused primarily on melanogaster subgroup accessory gland protein genes (Acp's). Consistent with observations from male reproductive genes of numerous taxa, Acp's evolve more rapidly than nonreproductive genes. However, within the Drosophila genus, large data sets from additional types of male reproductive genes and from different species groups are lacking. Here we report findings from a molecular population genetics analysis of male reproductive genes of the repleta group species, Drosophila arizonae and D. mojavensis. We find that Acp's have dramatically higher average pairwise Ka/Ks (0.93) than testis-enriched genes (0.19) and previously reported melanogaster subgroup Acp's (0.42). Overall, 10 of 19 Acp's have Ka/Ks > 1 either in nonpolarized analyses or in at least one lineage of polarized analyses. Of the nine Acp's for which outgroup data were available, average Ka/Ks was considerably higher in D. mojavensis (2.08) than in D. arizonae (0.87). Contrasts of polymorphism and divergence suggest that adaptive protein evolution at Acp's is more common in D. mojavensis than in D. arizonae.