Evolution in Sexual and Asexual Populations

Abstract

In an asexual population two favorable mutants can be incorporated into the population only if one occurs in a descendant of the individual in which the other occurred. In a sexual population both mutants can be incorporated through recombination. A mathematical formulation is given of the relative rates of incorporation of the new mutations with and without recombination. Recombination is of the greatest advantage when the double mutant is more advantageous than either single mutant, when the mutant effects are small, when mutations occur with high frequency, and when the population is large. On the other hand, for the incorporation of individually deleterious but collectively beneficial mutations, recombination can be disadvantageous. Close linkage has effects similar to those of asexual reproduction. Experimental data on DDT resistance in Drosophila and chloramphenicol resistance in bacteria are cited showing greater development of coadaptation in an asexual system. The evolution of diploidy from haploidy confers an immediate reduction in the mutation load by concealment of deleterious recessives, but this advantage is lost once a new equilibrium is reached. Thus the development of diploidy may be because of an immediate advantage rather than because of any permanent benefit. On the other hand, there are other possible advantages of diploidy, such as heterosis and protection from somatic mutations.