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The other side of the nearly neutral theory, evidence for slightly advantageous back-mutations

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 22:10 authored by Jane Charlesworth, Adam Eyre-WalkerAdam Eyre-Walker
We argue that if there is a category of slightly deleterious mutations, then there should be a category of slightly advantageous back-mutations. We show that when there are both slightly deleterious and advantageous back-mutations, there is likely to be an increase in the rate of evolution after a population size expansion. This increase in the rate of evolution is short-lived. However, we show how its signature can be captured by comparing the rate of evolution in species that have undergone population size expansion versus contraction. We test our model by comparing the pattern of evolution in pairs of island and mainland species in which the colonization event was either island-to-mainland (population size expansion) or mainland-to-island (contraction). We show that the predicted pattern of evolution is observed.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

ISSN

1091-6490

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences

Issue

43

Volume

104

Page range

16992-16997

Pages

6.0

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Notes

The first evidence that there is a category of slightly advantageous back-mutations. AEW designed the analysis, performed the theoretical investigation and wrote the paper; JC, who was a PHD student with AEW, collected and analysed the data.

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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