1. Mitochondrial genetic variation as a potential mediator of intraspecific behavioural diversity.
- Author
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Brand, Jack A., Garcia-Gonzalez, Francisco, Dowling, Damian K., and Wong, Bob B.M.
- Subjects
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GENETIC variation , *BEHAVIOR genetics , *GENE expression , *ANIMAL genetics , *MITOCHONDRIA , *MITOCHONDRIAL DNA - Abstract
Mitochondria contain their own genomes. These genomes play a central role in energy production. Individuals within populations can differ in their mitochondrial DNA sequence, and these genetic differences are known to influence energy metabolism and organismal life history. Little research has investigated how mitochondrial genetic variation within species contributes to the expression of behavioural diversity. This is a significant oversight, considering that energy metabolism can influence the expression of behavioural traits. We outline evidence that suggests that a comprehensive understanding of how and why individuals consistently differ from one another in their behaviour will require integration of mitochondrial genetics into animal behaviour research. We suggest that such a synthesis will promote avenues for future research that will be key to understanding intraspecific behavioural diversity. Mitochondrial genes play an essential role in energy metabolism. Variation in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence often exists within species, and this variation can have consequences for energy production and organismal life history. Yet, despite potential links between energy metabolism and the expression of animal behaviour, mtDNA variation has been largely neglected to date in studies investigating intraspecific behavioural diversity. We outline how mtDNA variation and interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear genotypes may contribute to the expression of individual-to-individual behavioural differences within populations, and why such effects may lead to sex differences in behaviour. We contend that integration of the mitochondrial genome into behavioural ecology research may be key to fully understanding the evolutionary genetics of animal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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