Reciprocal intercompatibility between Byrsonima Rich. exKunth species (Malpighiaceae), in an urban ecotonal fragment of Semi-Deciduous Seasonal Forest and Cerrado

Byrsonima species present floral monomorphism and sharing visitor/pollinator guild. These traits suggest the hypothesis evaluation of reciprocal inter-incompatibility between two syntopic Byrsonima species: B. pachyphylla and B. crassifolia. Pollen tube growth with similar behavior was observed in the stigmatic surface, pistil canal, ovary and micropylar channel to both species. In addition, partial self-incompatibility in self-pollination with greater fruiting in autogamy was observed. Cross-pollination and self-pollination coexist, and reciprocal intercompatibility occurs. Prezygotic isolation mechanisms are unlikely by the absence of abnormal pollen tubes, higher fruiting production and absence of hybrids in the study site. Las especies de Byrsonima presentan monomorfismo floral y comparten gremio de visitantes/polinizadores. Estos rasgos sugieren la evaluación de hipótesis de interincompatibilidad recíproca entre dos especies sintópicas de Byrsonima: B. pachyphylla y B. crassifolia. Se observó el crecimiento del tubo polínico con comportamiento similar en la superficie estigmática, canal del pistilo, ovario y canal micropilar de ambas especies. Además, se describió la autoincompatibilidad parcial en la autopolinización con mayor fructificación en la autogamia. La polinización cruzada y la autopolinización coexisten y se produce una intercompatibilidad recíproca. Los mecanismos de aislamiento precigóticos son improbables por la ausencia de tubos polínicos anormales, producción de frutos y ausencia de híbridos en la área de estudio.

Revisiting the Hybridization Processes in the Triatoma brasiliensis Complex (Hemiptera, Triatominae): Reproductive Isolation between Triatoma petrocchiae and T. b. brasiliensis and T. lenti

Triatoma petrocchiae is a species morphologically similar to T. b. brasiliensis (which resulted in a synonymization event); despite this similarity, genetic, morphological, and experimental crossbreeding studies confirmed the specific status of T. petrocchiae. Considering that both species have been reported living in sympatry and that, for a long time, most species of the T. brasiliensis complex were considered only chromatic variants of T. b. brasiliensis, we carried out experimental crosses between T. b. brasiliensis and T. petrocchiae (to confirm whether these species are reproductively isolated) and between T. lenti and T. petrocchiae (to assess whether T. petrocchiae also presents prezygotic isolation with the other species of the T. brasiliensis complex). Reciprocal experimental crosses were conducted, and weekly, the eggs were collected, counted, and separated in new containers to assess the hatch rate. Neither cross resulted in hybrids, demonstrating that there are pre-zygotic reproductive barriers installed between T. petrocchiae and the other species of the T. brasiliensis complex. On the basis of the results above, we demonstrated that T. petrocchiae is reproductively isolated from T. b. brasiliensis and T. lenti. Furthermore, we suggest that T. petrocchiae is the species most derived from the T. brasiliensis complex.

Patterns of reproductive isolation in a haplodiploid mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis: prezygotic isolation, hybrid inviability and hybrid sterility

Background Evolution of reproductive isolation is an important process, generating biodiversity and driving speciation. To better understand this process, it is necessary to investigate factors underlying reproductive isolation through various approaches but also in various taxa. Previous studies, mainly focusing on diploid animals, supported the prevalent view that reproductive barriers evolve gradually as a by-product of genetic changes accumulated by natural selection by showing a positive relationship between the degree of reproductive isolation and genetic distance. Haplodiploid animals are expected to generate additional insight into speciation, but few studies investigated the prevalent view in haplodiploid animals. In this study, we investigate whether the relationship also holds in a haplodiploid spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis (Zacher). Results We sampled seven populations of the mite in the Palaearctic region, measured their genetic distance (mtDNA) and carried out cross experiments with all combinations. We analyzed how lack of fertilization rate (as measure of prezygotic isolation) as well as hybrid inviability and hybrid sterility (as measures of postzygotic isolation) varies with genetic distance. We found that the degree of reproductive isolation varies among cross combinations, and that all three measures of reproductive isolation have a positive relationship with genetic distance. Based on the mtDNA marker, lack of fertilization rate, hybrid female inviability and hybrid female sterility were estimated to be nearly complete (99.0–99.9% barrier) at genetic distances of 0.475–0.657, 0.150–0.209 and 0.145–0.210, respectively. Besides, we found asymmetries in reproductive isolation. Conclusions The prevalent view on the evolution of reproductive barriers is supported in the haplodiploid spider mite we studied here. According to the estimated minimum genetic distance for total reproductive isolation in parent population crosses in this study and previous work, a genetic distance of 0.15–0.21 in mtDNA (COI) appears required for speciation in spider mites. Variations and asymmetries in the degree of reproductive isolation highlight the importance of reinforcement of prezygotic reproductive isolation through incompatibility and the importance of cytonuclear interactions for reproductive isolation in haplodiploid spider mites.

Patterns of reproductive isolation in a haplodiploid mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis: prezygotic isolation, hybrid inviability and hybrid sterility

Background Evolution of reproductive isolation is an important process, generating biodiversity and driving speciation. To better understand this process, it is necessary to investigate factors underlying reproductive isolation through various approaches but also in various taxa. Previous studies, mainly focusing on diploid animals, supported the prevalent view that reproductive barriers evolve gradually as a by-product of genetic changes accumulated by natural selection by showing a positive relationship between the degree of reproductive isolation and genetic distance. Haplodiploid animals are expected to generate additional insight into speciation, but few studies investigated the prevalent view in haplodiploid animals. In this study, we investigate whether the relationship also holds in a haplodiploid spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis (Zacher). Results We sampled seven populations of the mite in the Palaearctic region, measured their genetic distance (mtDNA) and carried out cross experiments with all combinations. We analyzed how lack of fertilization rate (as measure of prezygotic isolation) as well as hybrid inviability and hybrid sterility (as measures of postzygotic isolation) varies with genetic distance. We found that the degree of reproductive isolation varies among cross combinations, and that all three measures of reproductive isolation have a positive relationship with genetic distance. Based on the mtDNA marker, lack of fertilization rate, hybrid female inviability and hybrid female sterility were estimated to be nearly complete (99.0–99.9% barrier) at genetic distances of 0.475–0.657, 0.150–0.209 and 0.138–0.204, respectively. Conclusions The prevalent view on the evolution of reproductive barriers is supported in the haplodiploid spider mite we studied here. According to the estimated minimum genetic distance for total reproductive isolation in parent population crosses in this and previous studies, a genetic distance of 0.152–0.210 in mtDNA (COI) appears required for speciation in spider mites. Due to a lack of hybrid males, we could not address Haldane’s rule, which can be extended to haplodiploids, even though we focused on a young diverging group of spider mites. Our results highlight the importance of cytonuclear interactions for reproductive isolation in haplodiploid spider mites.

Minimal prezygotic isolation between ecologically divergent sibling species

Divergence in mating signals typically accompanies speciation. We examine two ecologically divergent sibling species of crickets to assess the degree and timing of the evolution of prezygotic reproductive isolation. Gryllus saxatilis occurs in rocky habitats throughout western North America with long-winged individuals capable of long-distance dispersal; Gryllus navajo is endemic to red-rock sandstone areas of south-eastern Utah and north-eastern Arizona and has short-winged individuals only capable of limited dispersal. Previous genetic work suggested some degree of introgression and/or incomplete lineage sorting is likely. Here we: (1) use restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) genetic data to describe the degree of genetic divergence among species and populations; (2) examine the strength of prezygotic isolation by (i) quantifying differences among male mating songs, and (ii) testing whether females prefer G. saxatilis or G. navajo calling songs. Our results show that genetically distinct “pure” species populations and genetically intermediate populations exist. Male mating songs are statistically distinguishable, but the absolute differences are small. In playback experiments, females from pure populations had no preference based on song; however, females from a genetically intermediate population preferred G. navajo song. Together these results suggest that prezygotic isolation is minimal, and mediated by female behaviour in admixed populations.

Conflict over fertilization underlies the transient evolution of reinforcement

ABSTRACTWhen two populations or species hybridize, their offspring often experience reductions in fitness relative to either parental population. The production of low fitness hybrids may be prevented by the evolution of increased prezygotic isolation; a process known as reinforcement. Theoretical challenges to the evolution of reinforcement are generally cast as a coordination problem — e.g., linkage disequilibrium between trait and preference loci is difficult to maintain in the face of recombination. However, the evolution of reinforcement also poses a potential conflict between mates. For example, the opportunity costs to hybridization may differ between the sexes or species. This is particularly likely for postmating prezygotic isolation, as the ability to fertilize both conspecific and heterospecific eggs is beneficial to male gametes, but heterospecific mating may incur a cost for female gametes. Motivated by this problem, we develop a population genetic model of interspecific conflict over reinforcement, inspired by ‘gametophytic factors’, which act as postmating prezygotic barriers among Zea mays subspecies. We demonstrate that this conflict results in the transient evolution of reinforcement – after female preference for a conspecific gamete trait rises to high frequency, male traits adaptively introgress into the other population. Ultimately the male gamete trait fixes in both species, and prezygotic isolation returns to pre-reinforcement levels. We interpret geographic patterns of isolation among Z. mays subspecies in light of these findings, and suggest when and how this conflict can be mediated. Our results suggest that sexual conflict may pose an understudied obstacle to the evolution of reinforcement via postmating prezygotic isolation.

Rapid Divergence Of The Copulation Proteins In The Drosophila Dunni Group Is Associated With Hybrid Post-Mating-Prezygotic Incompatibilities

Background: Proteins involved in post-copulatory interactions between males and females are among the fastest evolving genes in many species and this has been attributed to reproductive conflict. Likely as a result, these proteins are frequently involved in cases of post-mating-prezygotic isolation between species. The Drosophila dunni subgroup consists of a dozen recently diverged species found across the Caribbean islands with varying levels of hybrid incompatibility.Results: We performed experimental crosses between species in the dunni group and find evidence of hybrid inviability likely due to post-mating-prezygotic incompatibilities. We next assessed rates of evolution between these species genomes and find evidence of rapid evolution and divergence of some reproductive proteins, specifically the seminal fluid proteins.Conclusions: This work suggests the rapid evolution of seminal fluid proteins can lead to post-mating-prezygotic isolation, which acts as a barrier for gene flow between even the most closely related species.

Distinct specificity of two pheromone G-protein coupled receptors, Map3 and Mam2, in fission yeast species

Most sexually reproducing organisms have the ability to recognize individuals of the same species. In ascomycetes including yeasts, potential mating between cells of opposite mating-type depends on the molecular recognition of two peptidyl mating pheromones by their corresponding G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Although such pheromone/receptor systems are likely to function in both mate choice and prezygotic isolation, very few studies have focus on the differences in pheromone/receptor system between mating types. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has two mating types (sexes), Plus (P) and Minus (M). Here we investigated the specificity of the two GPCRs, Mam2 and Map3, for their respective pheromones, P-factor and M-factor, in fission yeast. First, we switched GPCRs between S. pombe and the closely related species Schizosaccharomyces octosporus, which showed that SoMam2 (Mam2 of S. octosporus) is partially functional in S. pombe, whereas SoMap3 (Map3 of S. octosporus) is not interchangeable. Next, we swapped individual domains of Mam2 and Map3 with the respective domains in SoMam2 and SoMap3, which revealed differences between the receptors both in the intracellular regions that regulate the downstream signaling of pheromones and in the molecular recognition for pheromone binding. In particular, we demonstrated that two amino acid residues of Map3, F214 and F215, are essential for the specificity of M-factor recognition. Thus, the differences in these two GPCRs are likely to reflect the significantly distinct specificities of their respective pheromone/receptor systems; that is, the specificity of Map3 is more stringent than that of Mam2. We speculate that this sexual asymmetry might allow ascomycete fungi to generate novel prezygotic barriers within a population, while maintaining strong mate choice. Our genetic analyses also contribute to our understanding of the receptors that comprise the Class D GPCRs belonging to the fungal pheromone receptor family.Author summaryCourtship signals play a key role in the fertilization processes of living beings from animals to microorganisms and, in particular, sex pheromones are involved in differentiating among species. On the other hand, changes in a pheromone/receptor system might also alter species-specificity during the selection of a mating partner, which is likely to facilitate prezygotic isolation. Here we demonstrate a distinct difference in the specificity of GPCRs for pheromones between cells of opposite mating-type in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, by conducting a comprehensive genetic analysis and comparison of these proteins between closely related fission yeast species. Our finding of sexual asymmetry due to the relative strictness of receptors in S. pombe suggests that it might be one of the driving forces behind the formation of new species. Such differences in pheromone/receptor interactions between the sexes may occur in a variety of life-forms such as insects and amphibians; hence, the findings of this study might be extended to other organisms. In addition, this study of S. pombe pheromone receptors sheds light on the functions of the unique Class D GPCRs.

Rapid divergence of the copulation proteins in the Drosophila dunni group is associated with hybrid post-mating-prezygotic incompatibilities

Proteins involved in post-copulatory interactions between males and females are among the fastest evolving genes in many species and this has been attributed to reproductive conflict. Likely as a result, these proteins are frequently involved in cases of post-mating-prezygotic isolation between species. The Drosophila dunni subgroup consists of a dozen recently diverged species found across the Caribbean islands with varying levels of hybrid incompatibility. We sought to examine how post-mating-prezygotic factors are involved in isolation among members of this species group. We performed experimental crosses between species in the dunni group and find evidence of hybrid inviability. We also find an insemination reaction-like response preventing egg laying and leading to reduced female survival post-mating. To identify that genes may be involved in these incompatibilities, we sequenced and assembled the genomes of four species in the dunni subgroup and looked for signals of rapid evolution between species. Despite low levels of divergence, we found evidence of rapid evolution and divergence of some reproductive proteins, specifically the seminal fluid proteins. This suggests post-mating-prezygotic isolation as a barrier for gene flow between even the most closely related species in this group and seminal fluid proteins as a possible culprit.