Genetics, Vol 121, 857-860, Copyright © 1989


INVESTIGATIONS

Linkage Disequilibrium and Genetic Variances Under Mutation-Selection Balance

A. Hastings
Department of Mathematics and Division of Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis, California 95616

I determine the contribution of linkage disequilibrium to genetic variances using results for two loci and for induced or marginal systems. The analysis allows epistasis and dominance, but assumes that mutation is weak relative to selection. The linkage disequilibrium component of genetic variance is shown to be unimportant for unlinked loci if the gametic mutation rate divided by the harmonic mean of the pairwise recombination rates is much less than one. For tightly linked loci, linkage disequilibrium is unimportant if the gametic mutation rate divided by the (induced) per locus selection is much less than one.