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Ancient Introgression Tied to Wild Boar Expansion and Pig Diversity
Key Takeaways
- A Science paper published in Volume 393, Issue 6818, pages 1335-1341 argues that ancient introgression drove wild boar expansion and phenotypic diversification in domestic pigs.
- Introgression is the transfer of genetic variants between distinct lineages through hybridization and repeated backcrossing, and it can supply populations with ready-made adaptive variation.
- Wild boar are highly adaptable generalists whose ranges and numbers have grown in many regions, making inherited diversity potentially valuable during expansion.
- Domestic pigs remain interfertile with wild boar, so the wild-domestic boundary is a zone of ongoing exchange rather than a sealed barrier.
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DT Editorial Team··via science.org