Different rates of molecular evolution of mitochondrial genes in Baikalian and non-Baikalian amphipods

Rates of molecular evolution in eight protein-coding mitochondrial genes from two parallellineages of Baikalian amphipods were compared to those in the representatives of gen. Gammarus. In sixgenes (Atp6, Cox2, Cox3, Nad1, Nad5, Nad6), there was a significant acceleration in the evolutionaryrate of Baikalian species over those from Gammarus group. Correlation of the absolute rate of basesubstitution accumulation and the acceleration was insignificant, that allowed us to propose mostlyadaptive reasons for the effect found.