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Welcome 

Welcome to the Kawakami's research website!

My research group focuses on genetic basis of reproductive isolation and local adaptation in natural populations. We are particularly interested in:

 

1) how hybridization contributes to speciation and local adaptation through genome evolution, and

 

2) how species adapt to spatially/ecologically diverse environments by altering their genome structure and recombination rate.

 

Hybridisation has been considered an important agent in speciation and adaptation by creating new gene combinations through introgression between populations/species. Hybridisation can also rapidly change structure and function of a genome (e.g., chromosomal mutations, genome size evolution, and re-activation of transposable elements), which can contribute to adaptive divergence and reproductive isolation. Furthermore, structural variation in the genomes of hybridising species can facilitate adaptation and speciation by modifying genome-wide recombination landscape and efficacy of selection. To explore these fundamental questions in evolutionary biology, we are using various naturally hybridising species.

 

 

 

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