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Pleiotropy and multilocus polymorphisms
1Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
Genetics
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Systems with two related traits controlled by additive genetic loci can maintain high genetic diversity under stabilizing selection. This can hide significant additive genetic variation, leading to low phenotypic variance despite substantial allelic polymorphism.
Area of Science:
- Quantitative genetics
- Evolutionary biology
- Population genetics
Background:
- Pleiotropy links multiple traits to single genes.
- Stabilizing selection favors intermediate phenotypes.
- Additive diallelic loci control genetic variation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate genetic variation maintenance under stabilizing selection.
- Explore conditions for stable polymorphism with pleiotropy.
- Analyze the impact of stabilizing selection on genetic diversity.
Main Methods:
- Modeling genetic systems with additive diallelic loci.
- Simulating Gaussian stabilizing selection.
- Analyzing linkage disequilibrium and phenotypic variance.
Main Results:
- Systems can maintain stable polymorphism in >2 loci.
- Multiple stable polymorphic equilibria are possible.
- Negative linkage disequilibrium leads to low phenotypic variance.
- High allelic polymorphism can coexist with low phenotypic variance.
Conclusions:
- Stabilizing selection can mask substantial additive genetic variation.
- Pleiotropic effects are crucial for maintaining polymorphism.
- Hidden genetic variation has implications for adaptation and evolution.