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Evolutionary biology

A gut feeling for isolation

Nature volume 500, pages 412–413 (2013)Cite this article

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The far-reaching effects of the relationship between an animal and its resident gut microorganisms are becoming ever clearer. New findings suggest it can even create barriers that keep species separate.

The process of speciation, whereby one lineage splits into two independent gene pools, has at its heart the evolution of barriers to gene flow that maintain differences when populations are in contact. Gene flow can be reduced in many ways, including failure to mate, sperm–egg incompatibility, and sterility or inviability of hybrids. Writing in Science, Brucker and Bordenstein1 describe a novel source of reproductive isolation: the influence of resident gut microorganisms on hybrid survival.

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Figure 1: Laid down for life.

ROBERT M. BRUCKER

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gregory D. D. Hurst is at the Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L697ZB, UK.,

    Gregory D. D. Hurst

  2. Chris D. Jiggins is in the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB23EJ, UK.,

    Chris D. Jiggins

Authors
  1. Gregory D. D. Hurst
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  2. Chris D. Jiggins
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Correspondence to Gregory D. D. Hurst or Chris D. Jiggins.

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Hurst, G., Jiggins, C. A gut feeling for isolation. Nature 500, 412–413 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/500412a

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