The hitch-hiking effect of a favourable gene
Open accessAbstract
Summary: When a selectively favourable gene substitution occurs in a population, changes in gene frequencies will occur at closely linked loci. In the case of a neutral polymorphism, average heterozygosity will be reduced to an extent which varies with distance from the substituted locus. The aggregate effect of substitution on neutral polymorphism is estimated; in populations of total size 10 6 or more (and perhaps of 10 4 or more), this effect will be more important than that of random fixation. This may explain why the extent of polymorphism in natural populations does not vary as much as one would expect from a consideration of the equilibrium between mutation and random fixation in populations of different sizes. For a selectively maintained polymorphism at a linked locus, this process will only be important in the long run if it leads to complete fixation. If the selective coefficients at the linked locus are small compared to those at the substituted locus, it is shown that the probability of complete fixation at the linked locus is approximately exp (− Nc ), where c is the recombinant fraction and N the population size. It follows that in a large population a selective substitution can occur in a cistron without eliminating a selectively maintained polymorphism in the same cistron.
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Neutral mutations linked to each compatible allele should spread through the population in a manner partly analogous to a selective sweep.
“Neutral mutations linked to each compatible allele should also spread through the population in a manner partly analogous to a selective sweep (Maynard Smith and Haigh 1974).”
From Finding Hybrid Incompatibilities Using Genome Sequences from Hybrid Populations (2021) · cites this paper as Maynard Smith and Haigh 1974
The Introduction (page unavailable) says alleles linked to a favourable mutation tend to increase in frequency as that mutation becomes fixed; §2 applies this to neutral alleles. This supports the selective-sweep analogy, but the paper does not establish that each compatible allele will spread or carry linked neutral mutations with it. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe idea of genetic hitch-hiking originated with Maynard Smith and Haigh.
“This idea originated with Maynard Smith and Haigh91, who called it genetic hitch-hiking.”
From Linkage disequilibrium--understanding the evolutionary past and mapping the medical future. (2008) · cites this paper as [91]
The Introduction says the authors called the phenomenon the “hitch-hiking effect,” supporting the naming attribution. But it also identifies Kojima and Scheffer (1967) as having made a previous attack on the same problem, so the claim that the idea originated with Maynard Smith and Haigh is not fully supported. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Research works printed but not linked: 5
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“Neu-93 tral mutations linked to each compatible allele should also spread through the population in a manner partly analogous to a selective sweep (Maynard Smith and Haigh, 1974).”
Background
- Authors
- Smith, J. M., & Haigh, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Sussex (GB)
- Venue
- Genetical Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1974-02
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 23-35
- ISSN
- 0016-6723 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-5073
- OpenAlex
- W4251304755
- Cited by
- 3,415
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 116 · 2025: 137 · 2024: 197 · 2023: 147 · 2022: 131 · 2021: 199 · 2020: 200 · 2019: 192 · 2018: 179 · 2017: 141 · 2016: 138 · 2015: 136 · 2014: 140 · 2013: 117 · 2012: 124
- FWCI
- 3.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Genetics Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Keywords
- gene substitution, linked loci, neutral polymorphism, heterozygosity, mutation-selection balance, population size, cistron
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