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Stronger selection can slow down evolution driven by recombination on a smooth fitness landscape
Masahiko Ueda1, Nobuto Takeuchi2, Kunihiko Kaneko1,2
1Department of Basic Science, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
Plos One
|August 16, 2017
Summary
Stronger selection can paradoxically slow evolution when genetic variation arises from recombination, not mutation. This occurs because selection
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Population genetics
Background:
- The conventional understanding is that stronger selection drives faster evolutionary change.
- This assumption is based on mutation-driven evolution models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between selection strength and evolutionary rate in recombination-driven evolution.
- To determine if stronger selection always leads to faster evolution.
Main Methods:
- Numerical investigation of population genetics models.
- Analysis incorporating recombination, migration, and selection.
- Analytical calculation to explain observed phenomena.
Main Results:
- Stronger selection can decelerate the rate of evolution on smooth fitness landscapes.
- Selection has opposing effects: increasing fixation probability but decreasing recombination opportunities.
- A finite selection pressure maximizes the evolutionary rate.
Conclusions:
- The proposition that stronger selection implies faster evolution does not hold for recombination-driven scenarios.
- Selection's impact on evolutionary rate is complex, depending on the source of genetic variation.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for predicting evolutionary trajectories.
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