Interspecific tests of allelism reveal the evolutionary timing and pattern of accumulation of reproductive isolation mutations.

ABSTRACT: Despite extensive theory, little is known about the empirical accumulation and evolutionary timing of mutations that contribute to speciation. Here we combined QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) analyses of reproductive isolation, with information on species evolutionary relationships, to reconstruct the order and timing of mutations contributing to reproductive isolation between three plant (Solanum) species. To evaluate whether reproductive isolation QTL that appear to coincide in more than one species pair are homologous, we used cross-specific tests of allelism and found evidence for both homologous and lineage-specific (non-homologous) alleles at these co-localized loci. These data, along with isolation QTL unique to single species pairs, indicate that >85% of isolation-causing mutations a

SUBMITTER: Sherman NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4161300 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature