Asymmetry matters: A genomic assessment of directional biases in gene flow between hybridizing spruces.

ABSTRACT: Assessing directional bias in interspecific gene flow might be important in determining the evolutionary trajectory of closely related species pairs. Using a set of 300 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) having variable propensity to cross species boundary, we evaluated the genomic extent and direction of interspecific gene flow in a progenitor-derivative spruce species pair (black spruce and red spruce). A higher rate of gene flow was found from black spruce toward red spruce purebreds than vice versa. This asymmetry could reflect the historical gene flow between the two taxa at the time of species inception and during postglacial colonization. A clear asymmetry in introgression was depicted by a greater gene flow between red spruce and hybrids than between black spruce and hybrids. W

SUBMITTER: de Lafontaine G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5468134 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature