Mutation pressure, drift, and the pace of molecular coevolution

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Intermolecular interactions are fundamental to molecular biology.
• Theories on molecular coevolution suggest rates can exceed neutral expectations.
• Interactions between organelle and nuclear genomes present unique evolutionary challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model the influence of population size, mutation, selection, and recombination on coevolutionary rates.
• To investigate coevolutionary dynamics between nuclear and organelle genomes.
• To predict how varying evolutionary pressures impact sequence evolution.

Main Methods:

• Development of a general theoretical model.
• Analysis of factors including effective population size (N_e), mutation rates, selection strength, and recombination.
• Evaluation of interactions between different genomic environments.

Main Results:

• Low N_e environments can drive partner gene evolution in higher N_e environments.
• Rates exceeding neutral expectations necessitate elevated mutation rates in low N_e populations.
• Coevolutionary rates are sensitive to the interplay of drift, selection, and mutation.

Conclusions:

• The model provides testable predictions for coevolutionary patterns.
• Understanding these dynamics is crucial for studying organelle-nuclear interactions.
• Relative intensities of drift, selection, and mutation significantly shape evolutionary trajectories.