Hybridization is a mechanism by which adaptive alleles can cross species boundaries and possibly boost the adaptive potential of hybridizing species. This may be especially true for alleles that confer a selective advantage when rare, which is common among major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes involved in pathogen defense. We therefore would expect MHC genes to introgress across hybridizing species relatively easily, though there exists relatively few examples supporting this hypothesis. In this paper from Molecular Ecology, Katarzyna Dudek, Tomasz Gaczorek, Piotr Zieliński, and Wiesław Babik document the extent of introgression in MHC variants across two hybridizing European newts across replicated transects. Read below for a behind-the-scenes look at their paper!

Link to the study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mec.15254

What led to your interest in this topic / what was the motivation for this study? 
The evolutionary significance of adaptive introgression is increasingly appreciated and many examples have been described, but few generalizations are available. There is a relatively well understood mechanism – novel/rare allele advantage – which should promote introgression of genes evolving under balancing selection (a prime example of these are MHC genes). However balancing selection itself produces signatures resembling introgression, so convincing demonstration of introgression in genes under balancing selection is difficult. Hybrid zones, especially in the form of replicated transect, are among the best tools you can imagine for such a project. And we’ve been studying these newts for some time – in a way this study was motivated by our long standing interest in adaptive introgression, but it’s an off-shoot of another project (see the paper in the same issue of Mol. Ecol.).

What difficulties did you run into along the way? 
The most difficult part was the design and justification of simulations that we used to rule out explanations alternative to introgression. Because MHC in newts is multi-locus and shows extensive copy number variation, it’s been difficult to design simulations that would at the same be time realistic and feasible. This may sound surprising, but genotyping and interpretation of MHC variation has not been a major problem, although the system is quite complicated. It seems that the field has matured enough that exon-based genotyping of MHC variation has become a standard. Another frontier would be population genetic analysis of entire MHC haplotypes, extremely interesting but currently beyond reach in non-model (and most model) taxa.

What is the biggest or most surprising finding from this study? 
The scale of apparently adaptive introgression. It’s not only that MHC variants introgress – we have suspected this before. One could expect that a single or a handful of novel, introgressed MHC haplotypes would be favoured in the recipient species, but we found massive introgression, apparently involving tens or more haplotypes, most likely in both directions. It’s been quite a surprise for us – this suggests that introgression can really remodel MHC variation in hybridizing species – an influx of large amount of variation may cause species to share, at least locally, pool of MHC variation.

Moving forward, what are the next steps for this research?
A natural next step is to test generality of our findings. The mechanism of novel/rare allele advantage should operate rather universally. If so, we expect that MHC genes will be among the last genes to stop introgressing between species that still hybridize, but are strongly reproductively isolated genome-wide. In other words we expect MHC introgression should be detectable (and perhaps strong) in systems, where despite hybridization, there is very little genome-wide introgression. We’ve been lucky to obtain funding for a collaborative project, in which we are going to test this prediction using over twenty hybrid zones from major vertebrate groups. We’d also like to look at the process at the level of entire haplotypes, but this would need to wait until technologies mature.

What would your message be for students about to start their first research projects in this topic?
The most important would probably be: have your questions worked out and if you find a system that is good to address them – go for it. Try to understand the available theory, there’s nothing more practical than good theory to guide you and to save countless hours of your precious time. And finally, start writing before you think you’re ready. Writing is the best way to have your ideas clear, to spot weak points and see things you didn’t realized before.

What have you learned about science over the course of this project? 
Over and over again – that science is unpredictable. That reality mocks your well laid out ideas and plans, twisting and turning your paths, but if you recognize and follow the opportunities that appear on the way, everything will be fine :). For example something that appears as an offshoot of a major project may turn out at least equally interesting and important. Two key components are good and diverse collaboration and the scale of research appropriate to your question – that is just large enough to provide sound answers, but not necessarily larger.

Describe the significance of this research for the general scientific community in one sentence.
Our research suggests that MHC introgression may be a widespread process that introduces novel and restores previously lost variation, boosting the adaptive potential of hybridizing taxa.

Citation
Dudek, K., Gaczorek, T.S., Zieliński, P. and Babik, W., 2019. Massive introgression of MHC genes in newt hybrid zones. Molecular Ecology. 28(21). 4798-4810. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mec.15254