Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Gene Flow02:39

Gene Flow

35.2K
Gene flow is the transfer of genes among populations, resulting from either the dispersal of gametes or from the migration of individuals.
35.2K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

58.5K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
58.5K
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

39.8K
Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
39.8K
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

19.3K
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
19.3K
Genetic Variation01:25

Genetic Variation

297
Genetic variation is the diversity in DNA sequences found among individuals of the same species. This diversity is crucial for a species' survival because it helps organisms adapt to environmental changes. Genetic variation begins with fertilization, where an egg and sperm cell merge. Each of these cells carries 23 chromosomes, up to 46 in the fertilized egg. Chromosomes are long DNA strands that contain genes, the basic units of heredity.
Genes exist in different versions called alleles,...
297

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Introgression and Divergence in a Young Species Group.

Molecular ecology·2026
Same author

diempy: fast and reference-free genome polarisation and chromosome painting.

G3 (Bethesda, Md.)·2026
Same author

Dispersal evolution in a population infected with a male-killing endosymbiont.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2026
Same author

The genome sequence of the Silver-spotted Skipper, <i>Hesperia comma</i> (Linnaeus, 1758).

Wellcome open research·2026
Same author

New methods drive new biology.

Genetics·2026
Same author

Wolbachia Host Shifts and Widespread Occurrence of Reproductive Manipulation Loci in European Butterflies.

Molecular ecology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2025

Screening Sperm for the Rapid Isolation of Germline Edits in Zebrafish
05:55

Screening Sperm for the Rapid Isolation of Germline Edits in Zebrafish

Published on: February 10, 2023

1.3K

Demographically explicit scans for barriers to gene flow using gIMble.

Dominik R Laetsch1, Gertjan Bisschop1, Simon H Martin1

  • 1Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Plos Genetics
|October 10, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Identifying genomic barriers to gene flow is crucial for understanding speciation. This study introduces genomewide IM blockwise likelihood estimation (gIMble) to quantify these barriers, revealing both major genetic loci and polygenic architecture in Heliconius butterflies.

More Related Videos

Detection of Rare Genomic Variants from Pooled Sequencing Using SPLINTER
14:06

Detection of Rare Genomic Variants from Pooled Sequencing Using SPLINTER

Published on: June 23, 2012

15.3K
Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
10:17

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

8.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 14, 2025

Screening Sperm for the Rapid Isolation of Germline Edits in Zebrafish
05:55

Screening Sperm for the Rapid Isolation of Germline Edits in Zebrafish

Published on: February 10, 2023

1.3K
Detection of Rare Genomic Variants from Pooled Sequencing Using SPLINTER
14:06

Detection of Rare Genomic Variants from Pooled Sequencing Using SPLINTER

Published on: June 23, 2012

15.3K
Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
10:17

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

8.9K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary genetics
  • Speciation research
  • Genomic analysis

Background:

  • Identifying genomic regions that impede gene flow between diverging species is challenging due to complex evolutionary forces.
  • A gap exists between demographic speciation models and genome scans for genomic barriers.
  • Understanding these barriers is key to unraveling speciation processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a novel computational method, genomewide IM blockwise likelihood estimation (gIMble), for quantifying genomic barriers to gene flow.
  • To bridge the conceptual and methodological divide between speciation demography and genome scans.
  • To analyze speciation patterns in the butterfly species Heliconius melpomene and H. cydno.

Main Methods:

  • Implementation of gIMble, a composite likelihood approach using sliding windows and pre-computed likelihood grids.
  • Modeling of background selection and selection against barriers via heterogeneity in effective population size (Ne) and effective migration rate (me).
  • Inclusion of modules for genomic data pre-processing, filtering, and parametric bootstrapping using coalescent simulations.

Main Results:

  • gIMble successfully quantifies genomic barriers, integrating demographic history and selection.
  • Analyses of Heliconius butterflies revealed large-effect barrier loci, including known wing-pattern genes.
  • A genome-wide signal of polygenic barrier architecture was detected, suggesting complex genetic control.

Conclusions:

  • gIMble provides a unified framework for studying genomic barriers to gene flow.
  • The study highlights the importance of both major loci and polygenic architecture in shaping speciation.
  • This approach advances our understanding of the genetic basis of reproductive isolation in recently diverged taxa.