Revealing the Hidden Architecture of Evolution in Stick Insects

markrenngont

Understanding the genetic foundations of adaptive evolution has long been a central pursuit in biology, dating back to Darwin’s time. A key debate today centers on whether evolution typically results from many small, incremental mutations or from fewer, large-scale genetic changes that drive major trait shifts.

One potential source of such impactful changes lies in chromosomal rearrangements—events where large segments of chromosomes are inverted, relocated, deleted, or duplicated. These kinds of mutations, sometimes called “macromutations,” are difficult to detect using standard DNA sequencing methods, especially in diploid organisms like humans and stick insects, which possess two sets of chromosomes.

https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45889
https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45888
https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45887
https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45886
https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45885
https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45882
https://www.consolefun.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45880
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/house-flipper-mod-apk-unlimited-money-unlock-all-skins-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/horizon-driving-simulator-mod-apk-unlimited-money-new-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/parking-master-multiplayer-2-mod-unlimited-money-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/bus-simulator-indonesia-mod-unlimited-money-latest-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/power-slap-mod-2025-unlimited-money-coins/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/custom-club-hack-2025-unlimited-money/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/car-parking-multiplayer-mod-2025-unlimited-money-unlocked/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/parking-master-multiplayer-2-mod-2025-unlimited-money-updated/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/owrc-open-world-racing-hack-2025-unlimited-money/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/stick-war-legacy-hack-unlimited-money-diamonds-latest-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/car-parking-multiplayer-mod-latest-version-2025-unlimited-money-gold/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/truckers-of-europe-3-mod-unlimited-money-free-shopping-latest-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/drift-for-life-hack-2025-unlimited-money-gold/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/universal-truck-simulator-hack-latest-version-2025-unlimited-money/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/asphalt-8-mod-unlimited-money-all-cars-unlocked-latest-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/car-driving-online-hack-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-cars/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/custom-club-hack-2025-unlimited-money-free-shopping/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/extreme-car-driving-simulator-hack-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-cars/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/dude-theft-wars-hack-2025-unlimited-money-free-shopping/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/stick-war-3-hack-unlimited-money-unlock-all-skins-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/plants-vs-zombies-2-mod-update-2025-unlimited-money-sun-unlocked-all/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/stick-war-legacy-mod-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-skins/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/house-flipper-mod-latest-update-unlock-all-skins-unlimited-money/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/bowmasters-mod-unlimited-money-unlock-all-characters-latest-version-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/csr-racing-2-mod-free-shopping-unlock-all-cars-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/update-drift-for-life-mod-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-cars/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/retail-store-simulator-mod-unlimited-money-free-shopping-update-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/bus-simulator-indonesia-mod-2025-update-free-shopping-unlock-all-busses/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/real-racing-3-mod-unlimited-money-free-shopping-latest-version-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/car-simulator-2-mod-latest-version-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-cars/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/worms-zone-io-hack-2025-unlimited-money-unlocked-all-skins/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/download-stickman-party-mod-unlimited-money-2025/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/the-walking-zombie-2-mod-menu-2025-unlimited-money-free-shopping/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/beach-buggy-racing-hack-2025-unlimited-coins-diamonds/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/city-island-5-hack-2025-unlimited-money-gold/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/shadow-fight-2-mod-menu-2025-unlimited-money-level-max-99/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/carx-drift-racing-2-hack-2025-unlimited-money-free-shopping/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/project-drift-2-0-hack-update-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-cars/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/anger-of-stick-5-zombie-mod-update-2025-unlimited-money-free-shopping/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/idle-miner-tycoon-mod-2025-hack-for-unlimited-super-cash-coins/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/truckers-of-europe-3-unlimited-money-unlock-all-truck-2024/
https://sundren.games/forum/main-forum/fishing-hook-hack-2025-unlimited-money-unlock-all-items/
https://www.thekgh.org/forum/idle-miner-tycoon-mod-2025-hack-for-unlimited-super-cash-coins
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3258
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3257
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3255
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3254
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3253
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3252
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3251
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3241
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3240
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3239
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3238
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3237
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3236
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3235
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3234
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3233
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3231
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3230
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3229
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3228
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3227
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3226
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3225
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3224
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3222
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3221
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3220
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3219
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3218
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3217
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3216
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3214
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3209
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3208
https://forum.beloader.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=3207


“Historically, we’ve averaged data across chromosome sets, but that approach often misses the nuance,” explains evolutionary biologist Zachariah Gompert of Utah State University. “New molecular and computational techniques that allow us to assemble each chromosome copy separately—so-called phased genome assemblies—have given us a clearer view of the role chromosomal rearrangements play in adaptation.”

In a study published online in the April 18, 2025, issue of Science, Gompert and his team report that adaptive color pattern differences in stick insects are driven by two distinct and complex chromosomal rearrangements. In populations living on different mountains, millions of DNA bases were independently flipped and repositioned on chromosomes, influencing whether insects blend in with one plant species or another.

The research, supported by the National Science Foundation and the European Research Council, was carried out in collaboration with scientists from CNRS in France, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the UK’s Institute of Cancer Research. The team studied Timema cristinae, a wingless insect native to the coastal chaparral near Santa Barbara, California. These insects have evolved different camouflage strategies depending on their host plant: a green form that hides among California lilac, and a striped form that disappears against the chamise shrub.

Gompert and colleagues found that the variation in these camouflage traits is almost entirely explained by the presence or absence of the identified chromosomal rearrangements.

“The phased genome assembly was crucial for uncovering how these color patterns evolved,” says Gompert. “It suggests that chromosomal rearrangements may not only be more common than we realized but also more complex.”

He adds that despite their size, such mutations are often overlooked by conventional sequencing.

“We're essentially exploring the ‘dark matter’ of the genome,” he says. “Structural variations like these may not be rare exceptions, but regular contributors to evolution. With better tools, we're just beginning to uncover their true significance.”