Data from: Extensive introgression in a malaria vector species complex revealed by phylogenomics

Introgressive hybridization is now recognized as a widespread phenomenon, but its role in evolution remains contested. Here we use newly available reference genome assemblies to investigate phylogenetic relationships and introgression in a medically important group of Afrotropical mosquito sibling species. We have identified the correct species branching order to resolve a contentious phylogeny, and show that lineages leading to the principal vectors of human malaria were among the first to split. Pervasive autosomal introgression between these malaria vectors means that only a small fraction of the genome, mainly on the X chromosome, has not crossed species boundaries. Our results suggest that traits enhancing vectorial capacity may be gained through interspecific gene flow, including between non-sister species.

渐渗杂交（Introgressive hybridization）如今已被学界公认为一种广泛存在的生物学现象，但其在演化进程中所扮演的角色仍存在争议。本研究利用最新获取的参考基因组组装（reference genome assemblies）结果，对一类具有医学重要性的非洲热带蚊类姊妹种（sibling species）的系统发育（phylogenetic）关系与渐渗现象进行了探究。研究明确了正确的物种分支次序，解决了一项长期存在争议的系统发育难题，并证实：演化形成人类疟疾主要传播媒介的支系，属于最早发生分化的类群之一。这类疟疾传播媒介之间普遍存在常染色体（autosomal）渐渗，意味着仅占基因组极小比例的区域（主要集中于X染色体）未发生跨物种基因交流。本研究结果表明，提升媒介效能（vectorial capacity）的相关性状可通过种间基因流动（interspecific gene flow）获得，这一过程甚至可发生于非姊妹种之间。