scholarly journals The Effect of Deleterious Alleles on Adaptation in Asexual Populations

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 162 (1) ◽  
pp. 395-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby Johnson ◽  
Nick H Barton
Keyword(s):  
Selective Sweep ◽  
Deleterious Mutation ◽  
Short Interval ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Asexual Population ◽  
Restrictive Assumption ◽  
Deleterious Alleles ◽  
Fixation Probabilities ◽  
Asexual Populations ◽  
Beneficial Allele

Abstract We calculate the fixation probability of a beneficial allele that arises as the result of a unique mutation in an asexual population that is subject to recurrent deleterious mutation at rate U. Our analysis is an extension of previous works, which make a biologically restrictive assumption that selection against deleterious alleles is stronger than that on the beneficial allele of interest. We show that when selection against deleterious alleles is weak, beneficial alleles that confer a selective advantage that is small relative to U have greatly reduced probabilities of fixation. We discuss the consequences of this effect for the distribution of effects of alleles fixed during adaptation. We show that a selective sweep will increase the fixation probabilities of other beneficial mutations arising during some short interval afterward. We use the calculated fixation probabilities to estimate the expected rate of fitness improvement in an asexual population when beneficial alleles arise continually at some low rate proportional to U. We estimate the rate of mutation that is optimal in the sense that it maximizes this rate of fitness improvement. Again, this analysis relaxes the assumption made previously that selection against deleterious alleles is stronger than on beneficial alleles.

scholarly journals Selection, Subdivision and Extinction and Recolonization

Genetics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 166 (2) ◽  
pp. 1105-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua L Cherry
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Dependence ◽  
Allele Frequency ◽  
Deleterious Alleles ◽  
Subdivided Population ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Subdivided Populations ◽  
Fixation Probabilities ◽  
Selection Parameters ◽  
To Come ◽  
Do So

Abstract In a subdivided population, the interaction between natural selection and stochastic change in allele frequency is affected by the occurrence of local extinction and subsequent recolonization. The relative importance of selection can be diminished by this additional source of stochastic change in allele frequency. Results are presented for subdivided populations with extinction and recolonization where there is more than one founding allele after extinction, where these may tend to come from the same source deme, where the number of founding alleles is variable or the founders make unequal contributions, and where there is dominance for fitness or local frequency dependence. The behavior of a selected allele in a subdivided population is in all these situations approximately the same as that of an allele with different selection parameters in an unstructured population with a different size. The magnitude of the quantity Nese, which determines fixation probability in the case of genic selection, is always decreased by extinction and recolonization, so that deleterious alleles are more likely to fix and advantageous alleles less likely to do so. The importance of dominance or frequency dependence is also altered by extinction and recolonization. Computer simulations confirm that the theoretical predictions of both fixation probabilities and mean times to fixation are good approximations.

scholarly journals Accumulation of mutations in sexual and asexual populations

1987 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Pamilo ◽  
Masatoshi Nei ◽  
Wen-Hsiung Li
Keyword(s):  
Weak Selection ◽  
Population Variance ◽  
Asexual Population ◽  
Term Evolution ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Analytical Formulae ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Asexual Populations ◽  
Mutant Genes

SummaryThe accumulation of beneficial and harmful mutations in a genome is studied by using analytical methods as well as computer simulation for different modes of reproduction. The modes of reproduction examined are biparental (bisexual, hermaphroditic), uniparental (selfing, automictic, asexual) and mixed (partial selfing, mixture of hermaphroditism and parthenogenesis). It is shown that the rates of accumulation of both beneficial and harmful mutations with weak selection depend on the within-population variance of the number of mutant genes per genome. Analytical formulae for this variance are derived for neutral mutant genes for hermaphroditic, selfing and asexual populations; the neutral variance is largest in a selfing population and smallest in an asexual population. Directional selection reduces the population variance in most cases, whereas recombination partially restores the reduced variance. Therefore, biparental organisms accumulate beneficial mutations at the highest rate and harmful mutations at the lowest rate. Selfing organisms are intermediate between biparental and asexual organisms. Even a limited amount of outcrossing in largely selfing and parthenogenetic organisms markedly affects the accumulation rates. The accumulation of mutations is likely to affect the mean population fitness only in long-term evolution.

scholarly journals The advance of Muller's ratchet in a haploid asexual population: approximate solutions based on diffusion theory

1993 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Stephan ◽  
Lin Chao ◽  
Joanne Guna Smale
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Theory ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Approximate Solutions ◽  
Diffusion Approximations ◽  
Asexual Population ◽  
Muller's Ratchet ◽  
Expected Time ◽  
Equilibrium Size ◽  
Muller’S Ratchet ◽  
Asexual Populations

SummaryAsexual populations experiencing random genetic drift can accumulate an increasing number of deleterious mutations, a process called Muller's ratchet. We present here diffusion approximations for the rate at which Muller's ratchet advances in asexual haploid populations. The most important parameter of this process is n0 = N e−U/s, where N is population size, U the genomic mutation rate and s the selection coefficient. In a very large population, n0 is the equilibrium size of the mutation-free class. We examined the case n0 > 1 and developed one approximation for intermediate values of N and s and one for large values of N and s. For intermediate values, the expected time at which the ratchet advances increases linearly with n0. For large values, the time increases in a more or less exponential fashion with n0. In addition to n0, s is also an important determinant of the speed of the ratchet. If N and s are intermediate and n0 is fixed, we find that increasing s accelerates the ratchet. In contrast, for a given n0, but large N and s, increasing s slows the ratchet. Except when s is small, results based on our approximations fit well those from computer simulations.

scholarly journals Competition between continuously evolving lineages in asexual populations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah Ribeck ◽  
Joseph S. Mulka ◽  
Luis Zaman ◽  
Brian D. Connelly ◽  
Richard E. Lenski
Keyword(s):  
Large Population ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
Simple Expression ◽  
Critical Threshold ◽  
Beneficial Mutation ◽  
Asexual Population ◽  
Simplifying Assumptions ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Asexual Populations

ABSTRACTIn an asexual population, the fate of a beneficial mutation depends on how its lineage competes against other mutant lineages in the population. With high beneficial mutation rates or large population sizes, competition between contending mutations is strong, and successful lineages can accumulate multiple mutations before any single one achieves fixation. Most current theory about asexual population dynamics either neglects this multiple-mutations regime or introduces simplifying assumptions that may not apply. Here, we develop a theoretical framework that describes the dynamics of adaptation and substitution over all mutation-rate regimes by conceptualizing the population as a collection of continuously adapting lineages. This model of “lineage interference” shows that each new mutant’s advantage over the rest of the population must be above a critical threshold in order to likely achieve fixation, and we derive a simple expression for that threshold. We apply this framework to examine the role of beneficial mutations with different effect sizes across the transition to the multiple-mutations regime.

scholarly journals Deleterious mutation accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana pollen genes: a role for a recent relaxation of selection

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
MC Harrison ◽  
EB Mallon ◽  
D Twell ◽  
RL Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Life History ◽  
Deleterious Mutation ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Relative Strength ◽  
Pollen Competition ◽  
Deleterious Mutations ◽  
Deleterious Alleles ◽  
Polymorphism Data ◽  
Plant Pollen

AbstractIn many studies sex related genes have been found to evolve rapidly. We therefore expect plant pollen genes to evolve faster than sporophytic genes. In addition, pollen genes are expressed as haploids which can itself facilitate rapid evolution because recessive advantageous and deleterious alleles are not masked by dominant alleles. However, this mechanism is less straightforward to apply in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. For 1 million years A.thaliana has been self-compatible, a life history switch that has caused: a reduction in pollen competition, increased homozygosity and a dilution of masking in diploid expressed, sporophytic genes. In this study we have investigated the relative strength of selection on pollen genes compared to sporophytic genes in A. thaliana. We present two major findings: 1) before becoming self-compatible positive selection was stronger on pollen genes than sporophytic genes for A. thaliana; 2) current polymorphism data indicate selection is weaker on pollen genes compared to sporophytic genes. These results indicate that since A. thaliana has become self-compatible, selection on pollen genes has become more relaxed. This has led to higher polymorphism levels and a higher build-up of deleterious mutations in pollen genes compared to sporophytic genes.

scholarly journals Assessing sex-specific selection against deleterious alleles: males don’t pay for sex

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zofia M. Prokop ◽  
Monika A. Prus ◽  
Tomasz S. Gaczorek ◽  
Karolina Markot ◽  
Joanna K. Palka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Mutation Load ◽  
Induced Mutations ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Deleterious Alleles ◽  
Flour Beetles ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Evolutionary Force ◽  
Hypothetical Scenario ◽  
Asexual Populations

AbstractSelection acting on males can reduce mutation load of sexual relative to asexual populations, thus mitigating the two-fold cost of sex. This requires that it seeks and destroys the same mutations as selection acting on females, but with higher efficiency, which could happen due to sexual selection-a potent evolutionary force that in most systems predominantly affects males. We used replicate populations of red flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) to study sex-specific selection against deleterious mutations introduced with ionizing radiation. Additionally, we employed a novel approach to quantify the relative contribution of sexual selection to the overall selection observed in males. The induced mutations were selected against in both sexes, with decreased sexual competitiveness contributing, on average, over 40% of the total decline in male fitness. However, we found no evidence for selection being stronger in males than in females; in fact, we observed a non-significant trend in the opposite direction. These results suggest that selection on males does not reduce mutation load below the level expected under the (hypothetical) scenario of asexual reproduction. Thus, we found no support for the hypothesis that sexual selection contributes to the evolutionary maintenance of sex.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Notion of Deleterious Sweeps

Genetics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parul Johri ◽  
Brian Charlesworth ◽  
Emma K Howell ◽  
Michael Lynch ◽  
Jeffrey D Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Positive Selection ◽  
Selective Sweep ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Functional Genomic ◽  
Deleterious Mutations ◽  
Beneficial Mutations ◽  
Mating Population ◽  
Fixation Probabilities ◽  
Genomic Regions ◽  
Genomic Scans

Abstract It has previously been shown that, conditional on its fixation, the time to fixation of a semi-dominant deleterious autosomal mutation in a randomly mating population is the same as that of an advantageous mutation. This result implies that deleterious mutations could generate selective sweep-like effects. Although their fixation probabilities greatly differ, the much larger input of deleterious relative to beneficial mutations suggests that this phenomenon could be important. We here examine how the fixation of mildly deleterious mutations affects levels and patterns of polymorphism at linked sites - both in the presence and absence of interference amongst deleterious mutations - and how this class of sites may contribute to divergence between-populations and species. We find that, while deleterious fixations are unlikely to represent a significant proportion of outliers in polymorphism-based genomic scans within populations, minor shifts in the frequencies of deleterious mutations can influence the proportions of private variants and the value of FST after a recent population split. As sites subject to deleterious mutations are necessarily found in functional genomic regions, interpretations in terms of recurrent positive selection may require reconsideration.

scholarly journals Rapid fixation of deleterious alleles can be caused by Muller's ratchet

1997 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRIAN CHARLESWORTH ◽  
DEBORAH CHARLESWORTH
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Approximation ◽  
Similar Process ◽  
Asexual Population ◽  
Single Chromosome ◽  
Muller's Ratchet ◽  
Analytical Approximations ◽  
Deleterious Alleles ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Muller’S Ratchet ◽  
Parameter Values

Theoretical arguments are presented which suggest that each advance of Muller's ratchet in a haploid asexual population causes the fixation of a deleterious mutation at a single locus. A similar process operates in a diploid, fully asexual population under a wide range of parameter values, with respect to fixation within one of the two haploid genomes. Fixations of deleterious mutations in asexual species can thus be greatly accelerated in comparison with a freely recombining genome, if the ratchet is operating. In a diploid with segregation of a single chromosome, but no crossing over within the chromosome, the advance of the ratchet can be decoupled from fixation if mutations are sufficiently close to recessivity. A new analytical approximation for the rate of advance of the ratchet is proposed. Simulation results are presented that validate the assertions about fixation. The simulations show that none of the analytical approximations for the rate of advance of the ratchet are satisfactory when population size is large. The relevance of these results for evolutionary processes such as Y chromosome degeneration is discussed.

On two new species of Cypricercus Sars, 1895 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Brazil with a discussion on the taxonomy of the genus

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4938 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-536
Author(s):  
NADINY MARTINS DE ALMEIDA ◽  
VITOR GÓIS FERREIRA ◽  
JANET HIGUTI ◽  
KOEN MARTENS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
North America ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Asexual Population ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Posterior Spine ◽  
The Right ◽  
Asexual Populations

We describe two new species of Cypricercus, Cypricercus alfredo sp. nov. and Cypricercus tiao sp. nov., and briefly redescribe the female of Cypricercus centrurus (Klie, 1940) from Brazilian floodplains. Both new species have the elongated carapace which is characteristic of the genus. Cypricercus alfredo sp. nov. was found as both sexual and asexual populations and has a posterior spine on the right valve and differs from the Brazilian C. centrurus by the position and the size of spine and the size and shape of the carapace. Cypricercus tiao sp. nov. was found as one asexual population only and lacks a posterior spine on the right valve. Cypricercus populations in Brazil mostly consist exclusively of asexual females, but some sexual populations and populations with mixed reproduction can also be found. This genus occurs primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, but some species can also be found in the southern part of North America and in India. We also present a re-appraisal of all species presently allocated to the genus, primarily based on original descriptions. 

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