Abstract
We have investigated interspecific divergence in a eucaryotic gene family, the Balbiani ring genes of the dipteran genusChironomus. In general, our data show thatC. pallidivittatus andC. tentans possess virtually identical Balbiani ring gene sequences, whereasC. thummi represents a more distantly related member of the genus. These results are consistent with phylogenetic relationships for the three species based on polytene chromosome banding patterns. However, one Balbiani ring gene sequence displays an evolutionarily anomalous behavior. A 16-kilobase-pair Balbiani ring gene 1 sequence inC. pallidivittatus that we show to be transcribed is absent in the sibling speciesC. tentans. We propose that this sequence was deleted inC. tentans after divergence of the species. Considering the importance of Balbiani ring genes for feeding and protection of theChironomus larvae, we suggest that the pronounced interspecific genetic difference contributes to a difference in ecological niche between the two sympatrically distributed species.
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