Genomic transitions during host race and species formation.

Abstract

Darwin recognized species as discontinuous, yet considered them to be formed by an incremental process of natural selection. Recent theoretical work on 'genome-wide congealing' is bridging this gap between the gradualism of divergent selection and rapid genome-wide divergence, particularly during ecological speciation-with-gene-flow. Host races and species of phytophagous insects, displaying a spectrum of divergence and gene flow among member taxa, provide model systems for testing predicted non-linear transitions from 'genic' divergence at a few uncoupled loci to 'genomic' divergence with genome-wide coupling of selected loci and strong reproductive isolation. Integrating across natural history, genomics, and evolutionary theory, emerging research suggests a tipping point from 'genic' to 'genomic' divergence between host races and species, during both sympatric speciation and secondary contact.