Genetics. Published Articles Ahead of Print: April 3, 2007, Copyright © 2007
doi:10.1534/genetics.106.063636


A more recent version of this article appeared on May 1, 2007.

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Evolution of coadaptation in a subdivided population

K. Ryo Takahasi 1*

1 RIKEN Genomic Sciences Center

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kenzi{at}gsc.riken.jp.

Submitted on July 18, 2006
Revised on October 2, 2006
Accepted on 27 February 2007


Abstract

The interplay between population subdivision and epistasis is investigated by studying the fixation probability of a coadapted haplotype in a subdivided population. Analytical and simulation models are developed to study the evolutionary fate of two conditionally neutral mutations that interact epistatically to enhance fitness. We find that the fixation probability of a coadapted haplotype shows a marked increase when the population is genetically subdivided and subpopulations are loosely connected by migration. Moderate migration and isolation allow the propagation of the mutant alleles across subpopulations, while at the same time, preserving the favorable allelic combination established within each subpopulation. Together they create the condition most favorable for the ultimate fixation of the coadapted haplotype. Based on the analytical and simulation results, we discuss the fundamental role of population subdivision and restricted gene flow in promoting the evolution of functionally integrated systems, with some implications for the shifting balance theory of evolution.

Key Words: conditional neutrality, epistasis, fixation probability, population subdivision, shifting balance