The transfer of genetic information across normal mating barriers, also known as horizontal or lateral gene transfer (HGT), has long been recognized as one of the major forces driving prokaryote evolution, but has generally been seen as more limited in eukaryotic genomes [1], [2].
The rareness of secondary cytotypes suggests the presence of strong pre- or post-zygotic mating barriers.
See Commentary: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/147. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the transmission of genes across species boundaries and/or mating barriers.
These species are reproductively isolated by partial ecological isolation [ 21], sexual isolation and post mating barriers [ 22].
It is presumed that one function of pheromones is the establishment of prezygotic mating barriers so that unproductive mating is not attempted (reviewed in [ 18]).
To our knowledge, the hypothesis that V1Rs contribute to the establishment of mating barriers between species has not yet been investigated.
Prezygotic mating barriers can quickly arise to prevent non-productive interbreeding attempts between subpopulations otherwise capable of mating [ 19], and therefore, modulation of pheromones and their receptors might be especially important for selective breeding within sympatric populations.
HTs are defined by an exchange of genetic material between two reproductively isolated organisms (Gilbert et al. 2009) or by a movement of genetic information across normal mating barriers between more or less distantly related organisms (Keeling and Palmer 2008).
Knowledge of the amount and pattern of variation at both the nucleotide and amino acid levels in natural populations would provide insight into the type and intensity of selection acting on mating barriers.
It is well established that besides vertical transmission of genetic material from parent to offspring, horizontal process that genetic information move across mating barriers plays important role in the genome evolution [ 1].
Analysis of the vector competency of individual lineages is now required to characterize their intrinsic ability to transmit JEV, while nuclear DNA studies on sympatric populations would establish if natural mating barriers exist.
