Title: Evolutionary selective pressure on three mitochondrial SNPs is consistent with their influence on metabolic efficiency in Pima Indians

Authors: Srikar Chamala, Wesley A. Beckstead, Mark J. Rowe, David A. McClellan

Addresses: Department of Integrative Biology, Brigham Young University, 699 WIDB, Provo, UT 84602, USA. ' Department of Integrative Biology, Brigham Young University, 699 WIDB, Provo, UT 84602, USA. ' Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science, Brigham Young University, S245 ESC, Provo, UT 84602, USA. ' Department of Integrative Biology, Brigham Young University, 699 WIDB, Provo, UT 84602, USA

Abstract: We investigated whether the effect of evolutionary selection on three recent Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mitochondrial sub-haplogroups of Pima Indians is consistent with their effects on metabolic efficiency. The mitochondrial SNPs impact metabolic rate and respiratory quotient, and may be adaptations to caloric restriction in a desert habitat. Using TreeSAAP software, we examined evolutionary selection in 107 mammalian species at these SNPs, characterising the biochemical shifts produced by the amino acid substitutions. Our results suggest that two SNPs were affected by selection during mammalian evolution in a manner consistent with their effects on metabolic efficiency in Pima Indians.

Keywords: energy efficiency; molecular adaptation; protein evolution; SNP evaluation; Pima Indians; evolutionary selection; single nucleotide polymorphisms; metabolic efficiency; bioinformatics; caloric restriction; desert habitat; mammalian evolution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBRA.2007.015418

International Journal of Bioinformatics Research and Applications, 2007 Vol.3 No.4, pp.504 - 522

Published online: 15 Oct 2007 *

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