[HELICONIUS] Heliconius Genome Paper is a Must Read according to F1000

[James Mallet]

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<http://f1000.com/evaluations> »


  Butterfly genome reveals promiscuous exchange of mimicry adaptations
  among species.

Heliconius Genome Consortium.

Nature. 2012 Jul 5; 487(7405):94-8


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<http://f1000.com/717147891#evaluations>
*8* Must Read

Patrik Nosil <http://f1000.com/thefaculty/member/1973591879241423> and 
Aaron Comeault <http://f1000.com/thefaculty/member/4266616322526096>, 
University of Colorado, CO, USA. F1000 Genomics & Genetics 
<http://f1000.com/thefaculty/genomgen>

23 Jun 2012 | Controversial, Interesting Hypothesis, New Finding

DOI: 10.3410/f.717147891.792452901

Despite a general and widespread interest in adaptive evolution, 
relatively little is known regarding the relative importance of 
different evolutionary mechanisms (e.g. de novo mutation, gene flow) in 
facilitating adaptation to different selective environments. For 
example, there is much debate in the literature over whether gene flow 
and introgression constrain or promote adaptive evolution. In the study 
reported here, the Heliconius Genome Consortium provides compelling 
evidence that introgressive hybridization may play a fundamental role in 
facilitating adaptation and speciation in a classic Heliconius mimicry 
ring. With studies such as this, variants of the 'transporter' 
hypothesis (as per Schluter and Conte {1}) are gaining support, and 
strong evidence for introgressive hybridization as a facilitating 
mechanism underlying adaptation and speciation in at least two classic 
examples of adaptive radiation now exist.

Specifically, this study uses a combination of whole-genome, targeted 
and restriction-site-associated DNA (RAD)-tag sequencing approaches to 
provide evidence for introgressive hybridization between distantly 
related species of Heliconius butterflies. More importantly, they show 
that introgression is especially pronounced at regions of the genome 
known to harbor adaptive variants underlying an ecologically relevant, 
and locally adapted, trait (i.e. aposematic colouration). Anyone 
interested in the mechanisms underlying evolutionary diversification 
should consider this study a must read.

*References*
1.
Genetics and ecological speciation. Schluter D, Conte GL Proc Natl Acad 
Sci U S A 2009 Jun 16; 106 Suppl 1: 9955-62 PMID: 19528639 
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19528639> DOI: 
10.1073/pnas.0901264106 <http://www.pnas.org/content/106/suppl.1/9955.long>

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8 Must Read
Laurent Keller <http://f1000.com/thefaculty/member/9126535814940284>, 
University of Lausanne, Switzerland. F1000 Ecology 
<http://f1000.com/thefaculty/ecol>

20 Jul 2012 | Good for Teaching, Technical Advance, New Finding

DOI: 10.3410/f.717147891.793453584

This is a great paper showing how genome projects can be used to obtain 
important information on the evolution of adaptive traits. By comparing 
the genomes of several closely related species of butterflies, the 
author convincingly demonstrate that introgression and hybridisation 
have played important roles in between-species transfer of genes 
implicated in mimicry.

Even though hybridisation seems to be quite uncommon among the three 
Heliconius butterflies studied, there seems to have been extensive gene 
flow at two genomic regions encompassing colour-pattern genes known to 
be implicated in mimicry. This study adds to an increasing number of 
studies showing that hybridisation has played an important role in 
adaptive radiation.

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-- 
James Mallet
OEB & GEE Depts
Harvard University & University College London
Cambridge, MA 02138 and LONDON WC1E 6BT
USA tel: +(1)617-496-5350
www.ucl.ac.uk/taxome/jim

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