One million years without sex fails to erase stick insects' unused biological system
Researchers have discovered that stick insects of the genus Timema have maintained their dosage compensation mechanisms for gene expression despite not reproducing sexually for one million years. This finding challenges the expectation that such biological systems would erode over long periods of asexual reproduction.
Why it matters
This study provides new insights into evolutionary biology and the persistence of complex genetic regulatory systems in the absence of sexual selection.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Timema poppense perfectly camouflaged on its host, Redwood Sequoia sempervirens, California. This and other, closely related, species are adapted to live on very different host plants and at different elevations. Credit: Moritz Muschick (University of Sheffield) Scientists have made a surprising finding about how an asexually reproducing stick insect has evolved. Research led by Dr. Darren Parker, lecturer in evolutionary biology at Bangor University, studied the genes of several species of Timema (a type of stick insect), which have not engaged in sexual reproduction for 1 million years—the longest known asexual period for any insect.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in