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In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

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Reticulate evolution and marine organisms: the final frontier?

Michael L Arnold¹, Nicole D Fogarty²

¹Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

|October 30, 2009

Summary

Reticulate evolution, involving gene flow like hybridization, significantly shapes life

Keywords:

horizontal transfer introgression marine web of life

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Genetics
Marine biology

Background:

Reticulate evolution, encompassing gene flow mechanisms like lateral transfer, viral recombination, and introgressive hybridization, is increasingly recognized as a key driver of evolutionary change across all life domains.
While accepted for many terrestrial organisms, its impact on marine life, particularly animals, has been historically underestimated, with some researchers suggesting limited genetic exchange in these lineages.
This perception stems partly from a historical lack of data and challenges in testing alternative evolutionary hypotheses in marine environments.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and present evidence for reticulate evolution in marine organisms.
To highlight the role of molecular markers in uncovering genetic exchange in marine taxa.
To challenge the notion that reticulate evolution is rare in marine life.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature and studies on marine organism evolution.
Analysis of molecular markers to detect signatures of genetic exchange.
Comparison of molecular data with morphological characters.

Main Results:

Molecular marker analyses have revealed numerous instances of genetic exchange (lateral transfer, introgression, hybrid speciation) in marine microorganisms, plants, and animals.
These findings demonstrate that marine organisms frequently exhibit mosaic genomes, a signature of reticulate evolution.
The study provides concrete examples contradicting the hypothesis of rare genetic exchange in marine clades.

Conclusions:

Reticulate evolution plays a substantial role in the origin and adaptation of marine organisms, contrary to previous assumptions.
Molecular data are crucial for identifying reticulate evolutionary processes in marine life.
The prevalence of mosaic genomes in marine taxa underscores the importance of gene flow in their evolutionary trajectories.