Spatial heterogeneity in the strength of selection against deleterious alleles and the mutation load.

ABSTRACT: According to current estimates of genomic deleterious mutation rates (which are often of the order 0.1-1) the mutation load (defined as a reduction in the average fitness of a population due to the presence of deleterious alleles) may be important in many populations. In this paper, I use multilocus simulations to explore the effect of spatial heterogeneity in the strength of selection against deleterious alleles on the mutation load (for example, it has been suggested that stressful environments may increase the strength of selection). These simulations show contrasted results: in some situations, spatial heterogeneity may greatly reduce the mutation load, due to the fact that migrants coming from demes under stronger selection carry relatively few deleterious alleles, and benefit from a

SUBMITTER: Roze D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3424923 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature