Genome organization and species formation in vertebrates

Some years ago Wilson and co-workers proposed that the higher rates of karyotypic change and species formation of mammals compared to cold-blooded vertebrates are due to the formation of small demes, as favored by the social structuring and brain development of the former. Here, evidence is reviewed which indicates that mammals are more prone to karyotypic change and species formation than cold-blooded vertebrates because of their different genome organization. Similar evidence has also recently become available for birds. While this different organization appears to be a necessary and, in all likelihood, a sufficient condition for the increased rates of karyotypic change and species formation found in mammals, it is still possible that social structuring and brain development may have played an additional accelerating role.This paper was presented at the International Conference on Genome Plasticity held in Cancun, Mexico (December 8–12, 1991)