Multiple mating but not recombination causes quantitative increase in offspring genetic diversity for varying genetic architectures.

ABSTRACT: Explaining the evolution of sex and recombination is particularly intriguing for some species of eusocial insects because they display exceptionally high mating frequencies and genomic recombination rates. Explanations for both phenomena are based on the notion that both increase colony genetic diversity, with demonstrated benefits for colony disease resistance and division of labor. However, the relative contributions of mating number and recombination rate to colony genetic diversity have never been simultaneously assessed. Our study simulates colonies, assuming different mating numbers, recombination rates, and genetic architectures, to assess their worker genotypic diversity. The number of loci has a strong negative effect on genotypic diversity when the allelic effects are inversely s

SUBMITTER: Rueppell O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3471945 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature