Mitochondrial genetic variation as a potential mediator of intraspecific behavioural diversity

Abstract

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.

Keywords

animal personality; behavioural syndromes; mito-nuclear interactions; mother’s curse; pace-of-life syndrome; sexual dimorphism

Published in

Trends in ecology & evolution
2024, volume: 39, number: 2, pages: 199-212

SLU Authors

• Brand, Jack

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Monash University

UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2023.09.009

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/126959