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The relative importance of meiotic gene conversion, selection and mutation pressure, in population genetics and evolution

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Abstract

Disparity in the direction of meiotic gene conversion can change allele frequencies, favouring one allele of a pair in heterozygotes. Equilibrium allele frequencies for large diploid populations are examined by means of equations relating them to meiotic gene conversion, selection and mutation for deleterious recessives, deleterious dominants, and deleterious alleles with no dominance. Using observed conversion parameters from various fungi,Zea mays andDrosophila, it is shown that conversion is generally much more important than mutation pressure and may be of greater or lesser importance than selection, depending on dominance and the strength of selection and conversion forces for the alleles involved.

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Lamb, B.C. The relative importance of meiotic gene conversion, selection and mutation pressure, in population genetics and evolution. Genetica 67, 39–49 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02424459

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02424459

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