Molecular evolutionary genetics of bivalve mitochondrial DNA

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I study an unusual system of mitochondrial DNA inheritance present in bivalve mollusks. Unlike other animals, some bivalves possess two distinct gender-associated mtDNA lineages rather than just a single, female transmitted mtDNA lineage found in most animals. I am interested in testing various hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the origin and maintenance of this unusual system of mitochondrial DNA inheritance including whether it allows for natural selection to improve sperm performance in these mussels or whether these gender-associated genomes might play a role in sex determination. The distinct male and female transmitted mtDNA genomes found in marine mussels also undergo recombination, a phenomenon that was, until recently, not thought to occur in animal mtDNA genomes. My approach to studying this unusual system of mitochondrial DNA inheritance includes a combination of sperm motility analyses, sperm metabolic activity assays, and whole mitochondrial genome sequencing assays.