Patterns of gene flow define species of thermophilic Archaea.

ABSTRACT: Despite a growing appreciation of their vast diversity in nature, mechanisms of speciation are poorly understood in Bacteria and Archaea. Here we use high-throughput genome sequencing to identify ongoing speciation in the thermoacidophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus islandicus. Patterns of homologous gene flow among genomes of 12 strains from a single hot spring in Kamchatka, Russia, demonstrate higher levels of gene flow within than between two persistent, coexisting groups, demonstrating that these microorganisms fit the biological species concept. Furthermore, rates of gene flow between two species are decreasing over time in a manner consistent with incipient speciation. Unlike other microorganisms investigated, we do not observe a relationship between genetic divergence and frequency of reco

SUBMITTER: Cadillo-Quiroz H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3283564 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature