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Genes and speciation

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 5, pages 114–122 (2004)Cite this article

Key Points

  • Studies of reproductive isolation have shown that the number of genes that are involved is often large. Between closely related species of Drosophila, the number of such genes might often be in the hundreds.

  • Speciation genes — that is, the genes that underlie reproductive isolation — can contribute to hybrid inviability, sterility or behavioural aberration, as well as ecological maladaptation.

  • In the genic view of speciation, loci that are not closely linked to speciation genes might continue to be shared between nascent species, as in parapatric speciation.

  • At least five cases of speciation genes have been confirmed so far. Most bear a strong signature of positive selection. Three of the five known speciation genes are related to transcriptional regulation, supporting the postulate that species divergence is often regulatory in nature.

  • For a gene to diverge in function, it needs to be released from the old functional niche (genetic 'niche-release'). So, speciation genes are often non-essential, with functions that are only loosely coupled to reproductive isolation. In a few cases, gene knock-out studies — the ultimate way to test the dispensability of a gene — have been able to show the non-essential nature of specific speciation genes.

  • Genomic data might help to resolve the long-running debate on the relative importance of allopatric and parapatric modes of speciation. Models of allopatric speciation make specific testable predictions about the level of divergence across the whole genome.

Abstract

It is only in the past five years that studies of speciation have truly entered the molecular era. Recent molecular analyses of a handful of genes that are involved in maintaining reproductive isolation between species (speciation genes) have provided some striking insights. In particular, it seems that despite being strongly influenced by positive selection, speciation genes are often non-essential, having functions that are only loosely coupled to reproductive isolation. Molecular studies might also resolve the long-running debate on the relative importance of allopatric and parapatric modes of speciation.

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Figure 1: The genic view of species differentiation.
Figure 2: Positional cloning of hybrid incompatibility genes.
Figure 3: Geographical models of speciation.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Shi and N. Osada for technical help and two anonymous referees for critical comments. Grants from the National Institutes of Health (USA) to C.-I Wu and from the National Science Council (ROC) to C.-T. Ting are gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, 60637, Illinois, USA

    Chung-I Wu

  2. Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chau-Ti Ting

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Correspondence to Chung-I Wu.

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DATABASES

FlyBase

desat2

Hmr

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OdsH

unc-4

Glossary

NEO-DARWINIAN (SYNTHESIS)

The modern theory of evolution that combines both natural selection and population genetics, in which the Darwinian concept of spontaneous variation is explained in terms of mutation and genetic recombination.

CO-ADAPTATION

Selection by which harmoniously interacting genes accumulate in the gene pool of a population.

INTROGRESSION

The integration of a genomic region from one species into the genome of another species. Even a few percent of the introgressed genome can lead to hybrid incompatibility.

POSITIONAL CLONING

The procedure by which we identify and isolate genes on the basis of their location in the genome, involving detailed genetic and physical maps of chromosomes.

DEFICIENCY MAPPING

Uses chromosomes that have different sections deleted to locate the position of a gene of interest. Without the deficiency, the normal functional gene usually masks the effect of (that is, complements) the defective or foreign copy that we wish to identify.

ALLELE COMPLEMENTATION

A test of whether a wild-type phenotype can be restored with two given alleles in a diploid genome.

RECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASE SUPERFAMILY

One of the important cell-surface receptors that interacts with water-soluble ligands.

ONCOGENE

A gene that induces uncontrolled cell proliferation.

MATERNAL EFFECT

The effect of the maternal genotype on the phenotype of the offspring, or the zygotes, usually at the embryonic stage (see also zygotic effects).

ZYGOTIC EFFECT

The effect of the zygotes' own genotype on their own phenotype.

MCDONALD AND KREITMAN TEST

A test that contrasts interspecific divergence against intraspecific polymorphism. It is a powerful test to detect excess of non-synonymous substitutions between species.

CONTACT PHEROMONES

Chemical signals that are transmitted through the direct physical contact of two individuals. Contact pheromones in Drosophila are often sexual signals.

KA/KS RATIOS

Ratios of non-synonymous substitutions to synonymous substitutions per site.

INCIPIENT SPECIATION

The initial stage of species formation during which reproductive isolation is only partial.

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Wu, CI., Ting, CT. Genes and speciation. Nat Rev Genet 5, 114–122 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg1269

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