The quiet evolutionary response to cellular challenges
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Author / Producer
Date
2022-02
Publication Type
Other Journal Item
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yes
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Abstract
Like many evolutionary geneticists, I am fascinated by genes underlying potentially adaptive traits that differentiate populations. While such traits are obviously important, I have, in part through my own work on adaptation to whole-genome duplication, become interested in traits that do not differ in obvious ways between populations. There is good evidence that such traits are also important and can leave signatures of selection in genomes. This idea is not a new revelation—in the vast literature on protein biophysics there is keen awareness that evolutionary adjustments are often needed to keep essential proteins functioning in new conditions. However, this concept has not been employed extensively outside that field to, for example, interpret genome scans for selection. Things written off as false positives in genome scans may actually be critical for adaptation; evolutionary adjustment of proteins underlying conserved traits may explain otherwise puzzling footprints of selection and may help explain why adaptation is often multigenic. The general conclusion that selection can act on trait maintenance rather than change, is likely broadly relevant.
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Publication status
published
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Book title
Journal / series
Volume
109 (2)
Pages / Article No.
189 - 192
Publisher
Wiley
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
adaptive evolution; evolution; evolutionary cell biology; genome scan; meiosis; polyploid; protein evolution; trait maintenance
Organisational unit
09665 - Bomblies, Kirsten / Bomblies, Kirsten
Notes
Funding
192671 - Temperature and its links to recombination rate in Arabidopsis arenosa (SNF)