Introgression: fine scale mapping between populations of two cactophilic species of Drosophila from South America

• Grant number: 19/21781-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2020
• End date: April 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Maura Helena Manfrin
• Grantee: Maura Helena Manfrin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Ribeirão Preto
• Associated researchers: Dora Yovana Barrios Leal ; Fábio de Melo Sene

Abstract

Introgressive hybridization or introgression results from a process in which the effective transfer of genetic material between species occurs through hybridization and backcrossing and represents a source of variation for the introgressed population. However, it is still poorly understood if there is an evolutionary pattern for this process, its consequences and influences for the evolutionary lineages delimitations and adaptive processes. In this project we will investigate the genomic landscape of populations in a secondary contact area of two species with signs of introgression in order to describe genomic areas that are more prone to introgression, their relationships with local adaptation and behavior, if there are signs of linkage disequilibrium and selection, associating these events with geographic, ecological and temporal information. The area to be investigated involves populations from a secondary contact between the cactophilic species of Drosophila serido and D.antonietae in the coastal region of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul states. Research data from our group for this area showed hybrids and nuclear and mitochondrial DNA introgression and some ecological segregation among populations related to the host cacti. In this project we intend to obtain data searching for DNA polymorphisms from genomic analyzes. Information about the introgression process will be obtained through bioinformatics analysis, principal components, linkage disequilibrium analysis, Paterson D statistics, signatures of selection and others. As a result, we hope to define areas and genes resulting from introgression and make inferences of the spatial and temporal importance of this event for populations and species at the contact area. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARRIOS-LEAL, DORA YOVANA; MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; RIBEIRO, JOAO VICTOR; BIZZO, LUIZ; DE SENE, FABIO MELO; NEVES-DA-ROCHA, JOAO; MANFRIN, MAURA HELENA. A holocenic and dynamic hybrid zone between two cactophilic Drosophila species in a coastal lowland plain of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, v. 34, n. 11, OCT 2021. (19/21781-7)

BARRIOS-LEAL, DORA YOVANA; MENEZES, RODOLPHO S. T.; ZAPPI, DANIELA; MANFRIN, MAURA HELENA. Unravelling the genetic diversity and population dynamics of three Tacinga species (Cactaceae: Opuntioideae) in the Caatinga. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, v. N/A, p. 11-pg., 2023-10-05. (19/21781-7)

SANTOS, ADRIANO S.; RAMOS, ESTER S.; VALENTE, VERA L. S.; MANFRIN, MAURA H.. Differential DNA methylation in response to host environment changes in Drosophila gouveai. Genetica, v. 153, n. 1, p. 13-pg., 2025-12-01. (19/21781-7)

LABORNE, ANA MATTIOLI; BARRIOS-LEAL, DORA YOVANA; HESLOP-HARRISON, JOHN S.; MANFRIN, MAURA HELENA; KUHN, GUSTAVO C. S.. Genome location, evolution and centromeric contribution of satellite DNAs shared between the two closely related species Drosophila serido and D. antonietae (repleta group, buzzatii cluster). CHROMOSOMA, v. 134, n. 1, p. 15-pg., 2025-12-01. (19/21781-7)