Abstract.
Rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions and codon usage bias (ENC) were estimated for a number of nuclear and chloroplast genes in a sample of centric and pennate diatoms. The results suggest that DNA evolution has taken place, on an average, at a slower rate in the chloroplast genes than in the nuclear genes: a rate variation pattern similar to that observed in land plants. Synonymous substitution rates in the chloroplast genes show a negative association with the degree of codon usage bias, suggesting that genes with a higher degree of codon usage bias have evolved at a slower rate. While this relationship has been shown in both prokaryotes and multicellular eukaryotes, it has not been demonstrated before in diatoms.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 3 June 1998 / Accepted: 11 August 1998
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sorhannus, U., Fox, M. Synonymous and Nonsynonymous Substitution Rates in Diatoms: A Comparison Between Chloroplast and Nuclear Genes. J Mol Evol 48, 209–212 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00006459
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00006459