Speciation and introgression between Mimulus nasutus and Mimulus guttatus

PLoS Genet. 2014 Jun 26;10(6):e1004410. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004410. eCollection 2014 Jun.

Abstract

Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus are an evolutionary and ecological model sister species pair differentiated by ecology, mating system, and partial reproductive isolation. Despite extensive research on this system, the history of divergence and differentiation in this sister pair is unclear. We present and analyze a population genomic data set which shows that M. nasutus budded from a central Californian M. guttatus population within the last 200 to 500 thousand years. In this time, the M. nasutus genome has accrued genomic signatures of the transition to predominant selfing, including an elevated proportion of nonsynonymous variants, an accumulation of premature stop codons, and extended levels of linkage disequilibrium. Despite clear biological differentiation, we document genomic signatures of ongoing, bidirectional introgression. We observe a negative relationship between the recombination rate and divergence between M. nasutus and sympatric M. guttatus samples, suggesting that selection acts against M. nasutus ancestry in M. guttatus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Gene Flow / genetics
  • Genetic Speciation*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genome, Plant / genetics*
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Mimulus / classification*
  • Mimulus / genetics*
  • Phenotype
  • Reproductive Isolation*
  • Species Specificity