The genetic causes of convergent evolution
Abstract
The evolution of phenotypic similarities between species, known as convergence, illustrates that populations can respond predictably to ecological challenges. Convergence often results from similar genetic changes, which can emerge in two ways: the evolution of similar or identical mutations in independent lineages, which is termed parallel evolution; and the evolution in independent lineages of alleles that are shared among populations, which I call collateral genetic evolution. Evidence for parallel and collateral evolution has been found in many taxa, and an emerging hypothesis is that they result from the fact that mutations in some genetic targets minimize pleiotropic effects while simultaneously maximizing adaptation. If this proves correct, then the molecular changes underlying adaptation might be more predictable than has been appreciated previously.
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Phenotypic convergence is generally believed to be a strong signature of natural selection.
“Phenotypic convergence, in which the same function or morphology evolves multiple times independently, often due to adaption to similar environmental changes, is generally believed to be a strong signature of natural selection”
From Bayesian Detection of Convergent Rate Changes of Conserved Noncoding Elements on Phylogenetic Trees (2019) · cites this paper as Stern 2013
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- Authors
- Stern, D. L.
- Affiliations
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Stern, David L.
- ORCID
- Stern, David L.
- Venue
- Nature Reviews Genetics
- Published
- 2013-10-09
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 751-764
- ISSN
- 1471-0056 (ISSN-L)
- 1471-0064
- OpenAlex
- W2046793790
- Cited by
- 818
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 54 · 2025: 79 · 2024: 66 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 71 · 2021: 76 · 2020: 72 · 2019: 76 · 2018: 54 · 2017: 65 · 2016: 56 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 5.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Reviews Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Keywords
- convergent evolution, parallel evolution, pleiotropy, shared alleles
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Alleles, Animals, Bacteria, Butterflies, Biological Evolution, Fishes, Humans, Models, Genetic, Mutation, Phenotype, Viruses, Linkage Disequilibrium, Gene Transfer, Horizontal
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