Stick insect genomes reveal natural selection's role in parallel speciation

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DOI

  • Víctor Soria-Carrasco
    Sheffield University
  • Zachariah Gompert
    Utah State University
  • Aaron A Comeault
    University of SheffieldSheffield University
  • Timothy E Farkas
    Sheffield University
  • Thomas L Parchman
    University of Nevada
  • J Spencer Johnston
    Texas Tech University, Lubbock
  • C Alex Buerkle
    University of Wyoming
  • Jeffrey L Feder
    Notre Dame University
  • Jens Bast
    University of GöttingenLincoln University, New Zealand
  • Tanja Schwander
    University of Lausanne
  • Scott P Egan
    Rice University
  • Bernard J Crespi
    Simon Fraser University
  • Patrik Nosil
    Sheffield University

Natural selection can drive the repeated evolution of reproductive isolation, but the genomic basis of parallel speciation remains poorly understood. We analyzed whole-genome divergence between replicate pairs of stick insect populations that are adapted to different host plants and undergoing parallel speciation. We found thousands of modest-sized genomic regions of accentuated divergence between populations, most of which are unique to individual population pairs. We also detected parallel genomic divergence across population pairs involving an excess of coding genes with specific molecular functions. Regions of parallel genomic divergence in nature exhibited exceptional allele frequency changes between hosts in a field transplant experiment. The results advance understanding of biological diversification by providing convergent observational and experimental evidence for selection's role in driving repeatable genomic divergence.

Keywords

  • Animals, Ceanothus, Gene Frequency, Genetic Speciation, Genetic Variation, Genome, Insect, Herbivory, Insecta/classification, Phylogeny, Selection, Genetic
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)738-42
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume344
Issue number6185
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 May 2014
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