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Epigenetic induction may speed up or slow down speciation with gene flow
Philip B Greenspoon1, Hamish G Spencer1, Leithen K M'Gonigle2
1Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.
Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|April 28, 2022
Summary
Epigenetic inheritance can influence speciation rates. Adaptively biased epigenetic induction can either accelerate or decelerate speciation, depending on how genotype and epigenotype map to phenotype.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Ecology
Background:
- Gene flow between diverging populations can hinder speciation.
- Ecological variation can drive speciation by opposing gene flow.
- Previous theories on ecological speciation primarily considered genetic variation, overlooking nongenetic inheritance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of epigenetic inheritance in ecological speciation.
- To model the impact of both genetic and epigenetic inheritance on speciation rates in populations with gene flow.
Main Methods:
- Developed mathematical models incorporating genetic and epigenetic inheritance.
- Analyzed speciation rates in a population inhabiting two connected ecological patches.
- Incorporated adaptively biased epigenetic induction into the models.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic inheritance can significantly alter speciation rates.
- Adaptively biased epigenetic induction can accelerate speciation by reducing hybrid fitness.
- Epigenetic factors can also slow down speciation if they adapt faster than genetic factors, weakening selection.
Conclusions:
- Nongenetic inheritance, specifically epigenetic variation, plays a crucial role in speciation dynamics.
- The effect of epigenetic inheritance on speciation is context-dependent, influenced by the genotype-to-phenotype mapping.
- Future research should consider both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms when studying ecological speciation.
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