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Repeated genetic adaptation to altitude in two tropical butterflies.

Authors :
Montejo-Kovacevich G
Meier JI
Bacquet CN
Warren IA
Chan YF
Kucka M
Salazar C
Rueda-M N
Montgomery SH
McMillan WO
Kozak KM
Nadeau NJ
Martin SH
Jiggins CD
Source :
Nature communications [Nat Commun] 2022 Aug 09; Vol. 13 (1), pp. 4676. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Aug 09.
Publication Year :
2022

Abstract

Repeated evolution can provide insight into the mechanisms that facilitate adaptation to novel or changing environments. Here we study adaptation to altitude in two tropical butterflies, Heliconius erato and H. melpomene, which have repeatedly and independently adapted to montane habitats on either side of the Andes. We sequenced 518 whole genomes from altitudinal transects and found many regions differentiated between highland (~ 1200 m) and lowland (~ 200 m) populations. We show repeated genetic differentiation across replicate populations within species, including allopatric comparisons. In contrast, there is little molecular parallelism between the two species. By sampling five close relatives, we find that a large proportion of divergent regions identified within species have arisen from standing variation and putative adaptive introgression from high-altitude specialist species. Taken together our study supports a role for both standing genetic variation and gene flow from independently adapted species in promoting parallel local adaptation to the environment.<br /> (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2041-1723
Volume :
13
Issue :
1
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Nature communications
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
35945236
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32316-x