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Lookup NU author(s): Emerita Professor Marion Petrie, Dr Gilbert Roberts
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Here we show that sexual selection can have an effect on the rate of mutation. We simulated the fate of a genetic modifier of the mutation rate in a sexual population with and without sexual selection (modelled using a female choice mechanism). Female choice for 'good genes' should reduce variability among male subjects, leaving insufficient differences to maintain female preferences. However, female choice can actually increase genetic variability by supporting a higher mutation rate in sexually selected traits. Increasing the mutation rate will be selected against because of the resulting decline in mean fitness. However, it also increases the probability of rare beneficial mutations arising, and mating skew caused by female preferences for male subjects carrying those beneficials with few deleterious mutations ('good genes') can lead to a mutation rate above that expected under natural selection. A choice of two male subjects was sufficient for there to be a twofold increase in the mutation rate as opposed to a decrease found under random mating. © 2007 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved.
Author(s): Petrie M, Roberts G
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Heredity
Year: 2007
Volume: 98
Issue: 4
Pages: 198-205
ISSN (print): 0018-067X
ISSN (electronic): 1365-2540
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800921
DOI: 10.1038/sj.hdy.6800921
PubMed id: 17119550
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