Sex-biased heteroplasmy and mitochondrial DNA inheritance in the musselMytilus galloprovincialis Lmk.

An exceptional mode of mtDNA inheritance involving separate maternal and paternal transmission routes has been reported recently in the musselMytilus edulis. This mode of inheritance provides an explanation for the high levels of heteroplasmy for two highly diverged genomes observed in males of this species. Here we provide evidence for a similar pattern of heteroplasmy in Atlantic and Mediterranean forms of the related musselM. galloprovincialis. The results support the hypothesis that this mode of mtDNA inheritance has an ancient origin. In addition, the detection of some heteroplasmic females suggests preferential, rather than exclusive, transmission within male and female lines of descent. We also present evidence that the two highly diverged genomes dislay a parallel split between the Atlantic and Mediterranean forms, consistent with neutral evolution.