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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
Published on: February 3, 2023
Rate of fixation of beneficial mutations in sexual populations
Joseilme F Gouveia1, Viviane M de Oliveira, Caio Sátiro
1Departamento de Estatística e Informática, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Dois Irmãos, 5217-1-900 Recife, PE, Brazil.
Abstract:
We have investigated the rate of substitution of advantageous mutations in populations of haploid organisms where the rate of recombination can be controlled. We have verified that in all the situations recombination speeds up adaptation through recombination of beneficial mutations from distinct lineages in a single individual, and so reducing the intensity of clonal interference. The advantage of sex for adaptation is even stronger when deleterious mutations occur since now recombination can also restore genetic background free of deleterious mutations. However, our simulation results demonstrate that evidence of clonal interference, as increased mean selective effect of fixed mutations and reduced likelihood of fixation of small-effect mutations, are also present in sexual populations. What we see is that this evidence is delayed when compared to asexual populations.
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