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Bacteria can drive the evolution of new species

Nature (2010)Cite this article

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Symbiotic organisms influence fruitfly mate choice.

Bacteria that live on the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster can affect their host's choice of mate by altering the fly's pheromones, a new study suggests. That change in mate choice could in turn lead to the evolution of new fly species — suggesting that bacteria can indirectly change the species of their hosts.

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References

  1. Sharon, G. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA advance online publication doi:10.1073/pnas.1009906107 (2010).

  2. Zilber-Rosenberg, I. & Rosenberg, E. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 32, 723-735 (2008).

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  1. Joseph Milton
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Mike Ritchie

Eugene Rosenberg

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Milton, J. Bacteria can drive the evolution of new species. Nature (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2010.575

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2010.575

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