Coevolution of self-fertilization and inbreeding depression. I: Mutation- selection balance at one and two loci (Q1182787): Difference between revisions

This is the first in a series of three papers exploring the evolution of breeding systems with partial selfing and partial random outcrossing. The aim of the paper is the study of a modifier of the rate of self- fertilization to inbreeding depression caused by deleterious mutations from well-functioning wild-types to defective alleles. Two cases are considered, one single viability locus in diploids and two viability loci in haploid populations. In the first model the authors investigate a modifier locus linked to a single viability locus in mutation-selection balance. It is shown that under absolute linkage higher rates of selfing are uniformely favoured. In the presence of recombination between the modifier and the viability locus, outcrossing can evolve provided that the viability of the single mutant and the initial rate of outcrossing are sufficiently high. The second model is a haploid model with one modifier locus and two viability loci. In this case positive associations between enhancers of outcrossing and wild-type viability alleles favour the evolution of outcrossing and introduce the possibility of stable mixed mating systems involving both selfing and outcrossing.