Adaptation to Parasites Drive African Fishes Along Different Evolutionary Paths

The two species (Pseudotropheus emmiltos and Pseudotropheus fainzilberi ) are found in the north western part of Lake Malawi. Until now, the only known difference between them was the color of their dorsal fin. Many researchers believe that African cichlids recognize conspecifics from these kinds of colour differences, which are thought to result from sexual selection. However, recent mate choice experiments have shown that female P. emmiltos recognize males of their own species from P. fainzilberi males based on olfactory communication rather than color.

Some of the genes known to influence mating behavior through olfaction in other vertebrate species are genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). These genes code for receptor that bound molecules produced by infectious agents and present them to specialized cells of the immune system which then launch an immune attack on the microbes. They are the most diverse genes found in vertebrate genomes and individuals of some species, including humans, are able to “smell” other individuals’ variability at these genes and adjust their mate choice in order to optimize the effectiveness of their offspring's immune system. Analysis of MHC genes between P. emmiltos and P. fainzilberi revealed that the two species were genetically more different at these sites involved in contacting and presenting molecules to immune cells than at other sites of the gene's DNA sequence that do not play functional roles.

These results show that natural selection has driven the evolution of these genes in different direction between the two species. Furthermore, the researchers showed that infecting parasites found on the two species were significantly different, as predicted based on the known immune function of MHC genes. “The mechanisms having produced the hundreds of species of East African cichlid fishes in a relatively short period of time are unclear”, says Jonatan Blais, the senior author of the paper.” This is one of the first genetic adaptive differences between closely related East African cichlid species identified. As such, it improves our understanding of the recent evolution of this incredibly diverse group of fish by pointing to a trait that not only diverged for adaptive reasons but may also be involved in mating behavior.”

“The precise role that this divergence played in the evolution of reproductive isolation has yet to be studied”, comments Louis Bernatchez, co-author of the study.” But it offers an exciting new perspective in the study of African cichlids speciation “.

Media Contact

Andrew Hyde alfa

All latest news from the category: Life Sciences and Chemistry

Articles and reports from the Life Sciences and chemistry area deal with applied and basic research into modern biology, chemistry and human medicine.

Valuable information can be found on a range of life sciences fields including bacteriology, biochemistry, bionics, bioinformatics, biophysics, biotechnology, genetics, geobotany, human biology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, cellular biology, zoology, bioinorganic chemistry, microchemistry and environmental chemistry.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors