Evolution of Two Genomes: Impact of Sequence Divergence on Mitochondrial Function

The oxidative phosphorylation pathway (OxPhos) is the only pathway where proteins are encoded by both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. It is also responsible for creating the majority of ATP used by animal cells. The critical role this pathway plays in animal cells, and it’s reliance on two genomes makes it a perfect system to study the co-evolution of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Using Fundulus heteroclitus, an ectotherm inhabiting a steep thermal cline along the eastern coast of the United States, I explore the effect of temperature on the evolution of this important pathway, as well as the associations between nuclear genes and specific mitochondrial haplotypes present in different populations