Transcriptome-wide signature of hybrid breakdown associated with intrinsic reproductive isolation in lake whitefish species pairs (Coregonus spp. Salmonidae).

Genetic analyses of speciation have focused nearly exclusively on retrospective analyses of reproductive isolation between highly divergent species. Yet, a full understanding of the speciation process must encompass analysis of the consequences of genomic divergence in young lineages still capable of exchanging genes under natural conditions. The accumulation of conditionally neutral genetic variation may lead to the evolution of divergent gene networks. In a hybrid background, such mutations may no longer compensate one another, resulting in the appearance of selectively disadvantageous traits, including disruption of gene expression regulation. Here, we documented genome-wide patterns of gene expression divergence between young lineages of normal and dwarf lake whitefish and their backcross hybrids for which strong, yet incomplete post-zygotic isolation barriers exist. A significant proportion (33%) of backcross hybrids showed developmental abnormalities not seen in parental forms and eventually leading to death. Although the transcriptome of parental forms was nearly identical during embryonic development, suggesting a role for stabilizing selection, all hybrids displayed strongly divergent patterns of gene expression. By comparing healthy, surviving hybrids against moribund ones showing abnormal development, we observed that over 2000 genes were misregulated in these abnormal embryos. In particular, misregulation was significantly biased toward essential developmental genes, which were severely underexpressed. Furthermore, genes previously documented to be highly transgressive (exaggerated inter-individual variance) were almost invariably underexpressed in hybrids. Our results thus clearly showed a transcriptome-wide signature of hybrid breakdown in young, incipient species and demonstrated a persuasive link between misexpression of essential developmental genes and post-zygotic isolation.