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DRIFTSEL: an R package for detecting signals of natural selection in quantitative traits
M Karhunen1, J Merilä, T Leinonen
1Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. markku.karhunen@helsinki.fi
Molecular Ecology Resources
|May 10, 2013
Summary
This study introduces DRIFTSEL, an R package to distinguish natural selection from genetic drift in populations. It helps identify stabilizing selection, diversifying selection, and genetic drift in quantitative traits using genetic data.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Population Genetics
- Quantitative Genetics
Background:
- Differentiating between natural selection and genetic drift is crucial for understanding population differentiation.
- Existing methods may not fully capture the nuances of these evolutionary forces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present an R package, DRIFTSEL, for distinguishing stabilizing selection, diversifying selection, and genetic drift.
- To provide a tool for analyzing quantitative trait differentiation using genetic marker data.
Main Methods:
- Development of the DRIFTSEL R package based on Ovaskainen et al. (2011).
- Utilizing neutral marker and quantitative genetic data.
- Application on simulated data and empirical data from three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus).
Main Results:
- The DRIFTSEL package successfully differentiates between stabilizing selection, diversifying selection, and genetic drift.
- Demonstrated utility through simulated data analysis.
- Empirical validation using Gasterosteus aculeatus data showcased the package's capabilities.
Conclusions:
- DRIFTSEL offers a valuable computational tool for evolutionary biologists.
- The package aids in understanding the drivers of population differentiation in quantitative traits.
- It also supports standard quantitative genetic analyses in common-garden experiments.
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