Molecular coevolution of a sex pheromone and its receptor triggers reproductive isolation in Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Abstract
Reproductive isolation is a key event leading to speciation as suggested by the observation of living populations in nature. This paper shows that novel reproductive populations of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which are reproductively isolated from the WT population, can be created by genetically altering the primary structure of a mating pheromone and its receptor. Based on the biological concept of species, this reproductive group should be regarded as a new species. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of the artificial creation of a new species of any living organism in the history of evolutional research.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- April 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1501661112
- Bibcode:
- 2015PNAS..112.4405S