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The genealogy of samples in models with selection
1School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA. nhauser@math.umn.edu
Genetics
|February 1, 1997
Summary
We introduce the ancestral selection graph for tracking gene evolution under selection and mutation. This new model extends Kingman
Area of Science:
- Population Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Theoretical Biology
Background:
- Genealogies in large populations are typically modeled by Kingman's coalescent process under neutral evolution.
- Incorporating selection and mutation into genealogical models presents significant theoretical challenges.
- Understanding gene lineage under selective pressures is crucial for evolutionary studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and describe the ancestral selection graph (ASG) for modeling gene genealogies with selection.
- To compare the ASG with Kingman's coalescent process, highlighting similarities and differences.
- To explore the impact of selection on gene genealogy across various evolutionary models.
Main Methods:
- Development of the ancestral selection graph (ASG) framework.
- Simulations of a two-allele model with symmetric mutation and selective advantage.
- Mathematical description of ASG for diverse selective models (K-allele, infinite-alleles, DNA sequences).
Main Results:
- The ASG incorporates coalescing and branching structures, extending the neutral coalescent.
- Simulations show that near-equilibrium allele frequencies result in genealogies similar to the neutral case.
- The ASG framework is applicable to various complex evolutionary models, including finitely and infinitely many selection classes.
Conclusions:
- The ancestral selection graph provides a powerful tool for studying gene genealogies under selection.
- Selection's impact on genealogy is subtle when allele frequencies are near equilibrium.
- The ASG framework offers a unified approach to understanding evolutionary processes across different genetic models.