Identification and analysis of speciation genes in island plants

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In the current genomics revolution we are now in a position to investigate how mutation, selection, and gene flow contribute to phenotypic evolution and the origin of species (Seehausen et al. 2014). An excellent scenario in which to study this is the origin of species that are adapted to divergent altitudes, where steep ecological selection gradients vary over short geographic distance. By analysing genetic variation throughout related species' genomes, we can pinpoint genes that correspond to reproductive isolation or ecological differentiation (e.g. Ellegren et al. 2012). This project will analyse speciation genomics in Descurainia, a plant genus found throughout the Canary Islands. Several species are endemics, showing ecological speciation (the origin of species by adaptation to novel environments) within and between islands. A reference genome is being assembled and annotated in the lab and the SPITFIRE project will generate and analyse sequencing data from multiple individuals of all the endemic species.