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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
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Sexual Selection and Mate Choice
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Limits to Genomic Divergence Under Sexually Antagonistic Selection
Katja R Kasimatis1, Peter L Ralph2,3, Patrick C Phillips2
1Institute of Ecology and Evolution and k.kasimatis@utoronto.ca.
G3 (Bethesda, Md.)
|September 19, 2019
Summary
Sexually antagonistic selection rarely causes significant autosomal genetic divergence between males and females. Strong selection is needed, leading to high genetic load, and sampling variance can mimic divergence.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary genetics
- Population genetics
- Sexual selection
Background:
- Autosomal genomes are shared between sexes, posing challenges for sex-specific fitness optima.
- Sexually antagonistic selection may favor different alleles in males and females.
- Random segregation homogenizes alleles, preventing accumulation of between-sex divergence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if sexually antagonistic selection can explain observed high male-female F statistics.
- To model the relationship between selection strength, genetic divergence, and genetic load.
Main Methods:
- Developed a population genetic model incorporating a single-locus model with nonrandom mate choice.
- Employed individual-based simulations for genome-wide selection analysis.
- Assessed the impact of sample size and sampling variance on divergence.
Main Results:
- Exceptionally strong selection is required to produce measurable autosomal divergence between sexes.
- Such strong selection results in a correspondingly high genetic load (decreased population fitness).
- Simulations showed that small sample sizes and sampling variance can generate substantial male-female divergence.
Conclusions:
- Sexually antagonistic selection alone is unlikely to be the primary driver of high autosomal F statistics.
- Interpreting autosomal allelic differentiation between sexes requires caution due to potential confounding factors.
- Sampling effects can easily create the appearance of significant genetic divergence.
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