Evidence for a One-Allele Assortative Mating Locus

摘要

For decades, evolutionary biologists strove to understand how, or even if, the process of speciation can be completed despite gene flow between the emerging species. Homogeni-zation via gene flow should necessarily impede divergence and subsequent speciation. However, this proposed antagonism between gene flow and divergence is reduced if speciation occurs through the spread of the same as-sortative mating allele in both of two emerging species (a "one-allele mechanism"). For example, if an allele that specifically causes dispersal reduction or increased pheromone sensitivity spreads into the diverging populations, it may reduce subsequent hybridization and gene flow and thus help to complete speciation.