Gene flow persists millions of years after speciation in Heliconius butterflies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hybridization, or the interbreeding of two species, is now recognized as an important process in the evolution of many organisms. However, the extent to which hybridization results in the transfer of genetic material across the species boundary (introgression) remains unknown in many systems, as does the length of time after initial divergence that the species boundary remains porous to such gene flow.

Results

Here I use genome-wide genotypic and DNA sequence data to show that there is introgression and admixture between the melpomene/cydno and silvaniform clades of the butterfly genus Heliconius, groups that separated from one another as many as 30 million generations ago. Estimates of historical migration based on 523 DNA sequences from 14 genes suggest unidirec

SUBMITTER: Kronforst MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2322973 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature