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Genome evolution in outcrossing versus selfing versus asexual species
Sylvain Glémin1, Nicolas Galtier
1Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR5554, Université Montpellier II, Montpellier, France.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|March 13, 2012
Summary
Breeding systems significantly impact genome evolution across species. While asexual and selfing species show distinct evolutionary patterns, comparative genomics offers new insights into breeding system evolution.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
- Molecular Evolution
Background:
- Linking comparative genomic patterns to species' biology and ecology is a key challenge.
- Breeding systems critically influence population genetics and genome evolution.
- Understanding these links is vital for molecular evolution research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review theoretical predictions and empirical evidence on molecular evolutionary processes under different breeding systems.
- To explore the impact of breeding systems (outcrossing, selfing, asexuality) on genome evolution.
- To investigate the reasons for discrepancies in evolutionary patterns between selfing and asexual species.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of theoretical predictions.
- Synthesis of empirical evidence from comparative genomics.
- Analysis of population genomic data and approaches.
Main Results:
- Breeding systems profoundly affect molecular evolutionary rates, base composition, genomic conflict, and genome size.
- Asexual species largely align with theoretical predictions.
- Selfing species present a more complex evolutionary picture than predicted, with ongoing research to explain this paradox.
Conclusions:
- Breeding systems are a major determinant of genome evolution.
- Discrepancies in selfing species warrant further investigation.
- Genomic data and approaches are crucial for understanding the long-term evolution of breeding systems.
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