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Related Concept Videos

Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
Exon Recombination02:32

Exon Recombination

The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes

While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
Cis-regulatory Sequences02:02

Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
Gene Flow02:39

Gene Flow

Gene flow is the transfer of genes among populations, resulting from either the dispersal of gametes or from the migration of individuals.
Overview of Transposition and Recombination02:13

Overview of Transposition and Recombination

Transposons make up a significant part of genomes of various organisms. Therefore, it is believed that transposition played a major evolutionary role in speciation by changing genome sizes and modifying gene expression patterns. For example, in bacteria, transposition can lead to conferring antibiotic resistance. Movement of transposable elements within the genetic pool of pathogenic bacteria can aid in transfer of antibiotic-resistant genetic elements. In eukaryotes, transposons can carry out...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Identification of Critical Conditions for Immunostaining in the Pea Aphid Embryos: Increasing Tissue Permeability and Decreasing Background Staining
09:44

Identification of Critical Conditions for Immunostaining in the Pea Aphid Embryos: Increasing Tissue Permeability and Decreasing Background Staining

Published on: February 2, 2016

Widespread selection across coding and noncoding DNA in the pea aphid genome.

Ryan D Bickel1, Joseph P Dunham, Jennifer A Brisson

  • 1University of Nebraska, School of Biological Sciences, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA. rbickel2@unl.edu

G3 (Bethesda, Md.)
|April 17, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Population genomics reveals that pea aphids in North America experienced a founding event and expansion, leading to excess low-frequency variants. Selection pressures differ between autosomes and the X chromosome, with stronger constraint on the X chromosome.

Keywords:
Acyrthosiphonpea aphidpopulation genomicsselectionsex chromosome

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Area of Science:

  • Population genomics
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Insect genetics

Background:

  • Understanding genome evolution requires population genomic data, which is scarce for non-model organisms.
  • The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) is an emerging model system with unique biological traits.
  • Previous studies have limited population genomic insights into aphid genomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize genome-wide patterns of diversity and selection in the pea aphid.
  • To investigate the impact of demographic history on aphid genetic variation.
  • To compare patterns of variation between autosomes and the X chromosome.

Main Methods:

  • Low-coverage genome resequencing of 21 clonal pea aphid lines from North America.
  • Analysis of genome-wide polymorphisms to infer diversity and selection.
  • Utilizing X-chromosome inheritance patterns to differentiate chromosomal elements.

Main Results:

  • Observed an excess of low-frequency polymorphisms, suggesting a North American founding event and expansion.
  • Most gene regions showed reduced Tajima's D compared to synonymous sites, indicating significant purifying selection.
  • Autosomal genes exhibited more low-frequency variants than X-linked genes, implying more efficient purifying selection on the X chromosome.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides foundational population genomic data for the pea aphid.
  • Demographic history and varying selection pressures shape aphid genome evolution.
  • The X chromosome experiences stronger purifying selection than autosomes in pea aphids.