Accelerated inbreeding depression suggests synergistic epistasis for deleterious mutations in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: Epistasis may have important consequences for a number of issues in quantitative genetics and evolutionary biology. In particular, synergistic epistasis for deleterious alleles is relevant to the mutation load paradox and the evolution of sex and recombination. Some studies have shown evidence of synergistic epistasis for spontaneous or induced deleterious mutations appearing in mutation-accumulation experiments. However, many newly arising mutations may not actually be segregating in natural populations because of the erasing action of natural selection. A demonstration of synergistic epistasis for naturally segregating alleles can be achieved by means of inbreeding depression studies, as deleterious recessive allelic effects are exposed in inbred lines. Nevertheless, evidence of epistasi

SUBMITTER: Dominguez-Garcia S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6834575 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature