MHC adaptive divergence between closely related and sympatric African cichlids.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The haplochromine cichlid species assemblages of Lake Malawi and Victoria represent some of the most important study systems in evolutionary biology. Identifying adaptive divergence between closely-related species can provide important insights into the processes that may have contributed to these spectacular radiations. Here, we studied a pair of sympatric Lake Malawi species, Pseudotropheus fainzilberi and P. emmiltos, whose reproductive isolation depends on olfactory communication. We tested the hypothesis that these species have undergone divergent selection at MHC class II genes, which are known to contribute to olfactory-based mate choice in other taxa.

Methodology/principal findings

Divergent selection on functional alleles was inferred from the higher gene

SUBMITTER: Blais J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1939875 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature