A mosaic of modular variation at a single gene underpins convergent plumage coloration

The reshuffling of genomic variation from multiple origins is an important contributor to phenotypic diversification, yet insights into the evolutionary trajectories of this combinatorial process and their interplay with genetic architecture remain scarce. We show that convergent plumage color evolution in wheatears involves a monogenic architecture with modular variation introgressed at the agouti signaling protein (ASIP) locus. Introgression of a new transposable element insertion and linked protein-coding variation underpin a transspecific throat color polymorphism, which stable isotopes suggest is associated with alternative foraging niches. Cointrogression of linked regulatory ASIP variation resulted in mantle color convergence in one species, whereas convergent color evolution at the genus level required new variation. Our results demonstrate evolutionary trajectories from introgressed variation realized within the constraints of a monogenic architecture.

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Journal
Science
Published
2025-10-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado8005
Citations
4
Primary Topic
Genetic diversity and population structure
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
7.27
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article

A mosaic of modular variation at a single gene underpins convergent plumage coloration

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article

A mosaic of modular variation at a single gene underpins convergent plumage coloration

Sifiso M. Lukhele, Niloofar Alaei Kakhki, Tamer Albayrak, Mansour Aliabadian, Yang Liu, Manuel Schweizer, Catherine L. Peichel, Jesús T. García, Pierre‐Alexandre Gagnaire, Fritjof Lammers, Alexander Suh, Vasileios Bontzorlos, Dave Lutgen, Zura Javakhishvili, Nika Paposhvili, Fanny Taborsak-Lines, Attila D. Sándor, Reto Burri, Li-Qun Yao, Stacey G de Souza, Valentina Peona, Fumin Lei, Pavlos Andriopoulos, Michaella Moysi, Robert Patchett, Raphael Ritter, Petar Shurulinkov, Marta Burri, Anne‐Lyse Ducrest, Áron Péter, Madeline A. Chase, José Luís Copete, Holger Schielzeth, Elizabeth Yohannes, Sergey Sklyarenko, Alexander N. G. Kirschel, Bojan Štumberger, Joel Gruselius, Fabian Schneider, Ioulios Christoforou, Abdin Abbasov, Nicolas Auchli, Egidio Fulco, Anna Kazazou, Abulfaz Tagiyev, Alessia Uboldi, Nikitas Vogiatzis
article en
4 citations

Abstract

The reshuffling of genomic variation from multiple origins is an important contributor to phenotypic diversification, yet insights into the evolutionary trajectories of this combinatorial process and their interplay with genetic architecture remain scarce. We show that convergent plumage color evolution in wheatears involves a monogenic architecture with modular variation introgressed at the agouti signaling protein (ASIP) locus. Introgression of a new transposable element insertion and linked protein-coding variation underpin a transspecific throat color polymorphism, which stable isotopes suggest is associated with alternative foraging niches. Cointrogression of linked regulatory ASIP variation resulted in mantle color convergence in one species, whereas convergent color evolution at the genus level required new variation. Our results demonstrate evolutionary trajectories from introgressed variation realized within the constraints of a monogenic architecture.

ScienceVol. 390(6770)
University of Bern (CH), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES), Uppsala University (SE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Helsinki (FI), University of Bonn (DE), Sun Yat-sen University (CN), École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR), University of St Andrews (GB), Ilia State University (GE), Dokuz Eylül University (TR), Baku State University (AZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Université de Montpellier (FR), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR), Paphos General Hospital (CY), Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart (DE), Swiss Ornithological Institute (CH), Science for Life Laboratory (SE), German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (DE), Swedish Museum of Natural History (SE), Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica Francesco Severi (IT), Babeș-Bolyai University (RO), University of Cyprus (CY), Natural History Museum of Bern (CH), Tula University (RU), Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (FR), Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (ES), Ministry of Science and Education Republic of Azerbaijan (AZ), Institute of Zoology (KZ), Neapolis University Pafos (CY), University of Veterinary Medicine (HU), National Museum of Natural History (BG), Institute of Zoology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Oldham Council (GB), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Institute of Zoology (CN), TYTO - Association for the Management and Conservation of Biodiversity in Agricultural Ecosystems, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (DE), Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (IR), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE), University of Lausanne (CH)
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Genetic diversity and population structure
7.27
DOISourceOpenAlex
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