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What evolutionary processes shaped the genomic landscape of differentiation in Selasphorus hummingbirds? Battey shows that the islands of differentiation on the Z chromosome are most likely the outcome of linked selection. Furthermore, these islands might contain barrier loci that contribute to reproductive isolation between these hybridizing hummingbirds.
How do obligate parasites cope with hosts that lack genetic elements required for parasite replication? Gupta et. al. (2020) illustrate an experimental evolution system where lambda bacteriophages circumvent a defective gene network in their E. coli host (which initially made it impossible for them to replicate) through both intracellular cooperation and evolutionary changes in phage life‐history...
To better predict how populations and communities respond to climatic temperature variation, it is necessary to understand how the shape of the response of fitness‐related rates to temperature evolves (the thermal performance curve). Currently, there is disagreement about the extent to which the evolution of thermal performance curves is constrained. One school of thought has argued for the prevalence...
Levels of genetic differentiation vary widely along the genomes of recently diverged species. What processes cause this variation? Here, I analyze geographic population structure and genome‐wide patterns of variation in the Rufous, Allen's, and Calliope Hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus/Selasphorus sasin/Selasphorus calliope) and assess evidence that linked selection on the Z chromosome drives patterns...
An important driver of evolution in viruses is natural selection to optimize the use of their hosts’ genetic network. To learn how viruses respond to this pressure, we disrupted the genetic network of Escherichia coli to inhibit replication of its virus, bacteriophage lambda, and then observed how λ evolved to compensate. We deleted E. coli's dnaJ gene, which lambda uses to initiate DNA replication...
Sexual selection theory provides a framework for investigating the evolution of traits involved in attracting and competing for mates. Given the sexual function of such traits, studies generally focus on individual interactions (i.e., displays and contests) in explaining trait origin and persistence. We show that ecological factors can strongly influence the adaptive value of these traits, and changes...
Primate limb morphology is often described as either generalized, that is, suited to a range of locomotor and positional behaviors, or specialized for unique locomotor behaviors such as brachiation or bipedalism. The evolution of highly specialized limb morphology may result in loss of evolvability, that is, in a decreased capacity of the locomotor skeleton to evolve in response to selection towards...
Comparative phylogeographic studies often support shared divergence times for co‐distributed species with similar life histories and habitat specializations. During the late Holocene, West Africa experienced aridification and the turnover of rain forest habitats into savannas. These fragmented rain forests harbor impressive numbers of endemic and threatened species. In this setting, populations of...
Since the New Synthesis, most migration‐selection balance theory has predicted that there should be negligible differentiation over small spatial scales (relative to dispersal), because gene flow should erode any effect of divergent selection. Nevertheless, there are classic examples of microgeographic divergence, which theory suggests can arise under specific conditions: exceptionally strong selection,...
This study uses viability selection simulations to predict the evolvability of primate species based on specialization of limb morphology. Following the author's predictions, more specialized limb morphologies were less responsive to selective pressures. This led to a slower transition toward new adaptive peaks. Specifically, evolvability of primate limbs was found to be associated with the degree...
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