Fate of new genes cannot be predicted
Friday, September 13, 2013 - 12:00
in Biology & Nature
New versions of genes, called alleles, can appear by mutation in populations. Even when these new alleles turn the individuals carrying them more fit to survive and reproduce, the most likely outcome is that they will get lost from the populations. The theory on this topic is 90 years old and has become the cornerstone of modern population genetics, with studies on adaptation to novel environments and conservation of species being based on it. However, until now there were no explicit experimental tests of this theory.