Genetic analysis of speciation in heliconius butterflies

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Project objective

Haldane's rule (HR, i.e. the sterility/inviability of the heterogametic sex in hybrid taxa) is probably the major generalization in animal speciation, yet its complete understanding remains a challenge. The empirical data used to test the different hypotheses aiming to explain this phenomenon come almost exclusively from male-heterogametic taxa such as Drosophila. Similar analyses in female heterogametic taxa such as birds and butterflies are needed. Female hybrids between some races of the butterfly Heliconius melpomene have been shown to suffer from sterility . Here, I propose to use this species as a model organism for the genetic analysis of the causes of HR in female-heterogametic taxa. Three main objectives are proposed.(i) To perform crosses between populations in order to assess the geographic distribution of hybrid sterility genes within this species,(ii) To use crosses and molecular markers in order to perform linkage analysis of hybrid sterility in H. melpomene, to describe the number and effects of the genes involved, and(iii) To investigate the geographic structure of mtDNA variation in this species in order to describe the impact of hybrid female sterility on female-transmitted polymorphisms.

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Participants

• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON · LONDONCoordinatorUnited Kingdom

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