Sex increases the efficacy of natural selection in experimental yeast populations

Matthew R. Goddard (), H. Charles J. Godfray and Austin Burt
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Matthew R. Goddard: Imperial College London
H. Charles J. Godfray: Imperial College London
Austin Burt: Imperial College London

Nature, 2005, vol. 434, issue 7033, 636-640

Abstract: Sex is good because... The evolution of sex has long puzzled biologists. It seems wasteful of time and energy and can break up favourable gene combinations. Why bother? Theories abound, but the data needed to discriminate between these ideas are scarce because of the difficulty of designing experiments that exclude unwanted variables. Now using an asexual strain of yeast genetically engineered to include just the basics of sexual reproduction, extraneous factors can be eliminated. Many modern theories are based on the idea that sex makes natural selection more effective by increasing genetic variation, and this was found to be the case in the ‘minimalist’ yeast in harsh environments. In benign conditions where there was little or no selection, sex served no purpose.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature03405

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