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Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).

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Speciation Rates

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Diploid organisms have two alleles of each gene, one from each parent, in their somatic cells. Therefore, each individual contributes two alleles to the gene pool of the population. The gene pool of a population is the sum of every allele of all genes within that population and has some degree of variation. Genetic variation is typically expressed as a relative frequency, which is the percentage of the total population that has a given allele, genotype or phenotype.

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Gene Conversion

Other than maintaining genome stability via DNA repair, homologous recombination plays an important role in diversifying the genome. In fact, the recombination of sequences forms the molecular basis of genomic evolution. Random and non-random permutations of genomic sequences create a library of new amalgamated sequences. These newly formed genomes can determine the fitness and survival of cells. In bacteria, homologous and non-homologous types of recombination lead to the evolution of new...

Gene Conversion

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Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Determination of the Mating Efficiency of Haploids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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Published on: December 2, 2022

Mutation Rate Evolution in Partially Selfing and Partially Asexual Organisms.

Camille Gervais^1,2, Denis Roze^3,2

¹Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMI 3614, Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, Roscoff, 29688 France.

|October 4, 2017

Summary

Uniparental reproduction strengthens indirect selection for lower mutation rates. Genetic drift can maintain higher mutation rates, especially in selfing or clonal populations with reduced effective population size.

Keywords:

clonality deleterious mutation modifier model multilocus population genetics self-fertilization

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Last Updated: Feb 21, 2026

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Published on: November 28, 2019

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Population genetics
Molecular evolution

Background:

Mutation rate evolution is influenced by DNA replication fidelity costs, indirect selection from deleterious mutations, and genetic drift.
Most mutations negatively impact fitness, suggesting selection generally favors lower mutation rates.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how partial selfing or clonality affects indirect selection on mutation rates.
To compute the evolutionarily stable mutation rate (U) considering genomic deleterious alleles and replication costs.

Main Methods:

A two-locus model was used to analyze indirect selection on a modifier locus affecting mutation rate.
Analytical predictions were compared with individual-based, multilocus simulations.

Main Results:

Uniparental reproduction (selfing/clonality) enhances indirect selection for reduced mutation rates.
Analytical predictions align with simulations when there's no bias toward higher mutation rates.
Genetic drift can lead to higher mutation rates, particularly in highly selfing/clonal populations.

Conclusions:

Reproductive mode significantly impacts the evolution of mutation rates.
Effective population size plays a crucial role in the balance between selection and drift in mutation rate evolution.