Large-scale candidate gene scan reveals the role of chemoreceptor genes in host plant specialization and speciation in the pea aphid.

摘要: Understanding the drivers of speciation is critical to interpreting patterns biodiversity. The identification genetic changes underlying adaptation and reproductive isolation necessary link barriers gene flow causal origins divergence. Here, we present a novel approach genetics speciation, which should complement commonly used approaches quantitative trait locus mapping genome-wide scans for selection. We large-scale candidate by means sequence capture, applied identifying in pea aphid, model system study ecological speciation. Targeted resequencing enabled us scale up approach, specifically testing role chemosensory families host plant specialization. Screening signature divergence under selection at 172 noncandidate loci, revealed handful loci that show high levels differentiation among races, almost all correspond odorant gustatory receptor genes. This offers first indication some chemoreceptor genes, often tightly linked together genome, could play key local aphid potentially other phytophagous insects. Our opens new route toward functional genomics