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Fig. 7 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Fig. 7

From: Somatic maintenance impacts the evolution of mutation rate

Fig. 7

A theoretical model of the effect of selection regimens on the evolution of mutation rate. a Under conditions of stabilizing selection, phenotypes less deviant from the population mean in their adaptive traits (left Y-axis for frequency distribution) are favored; such phenotypes should inherit and pass on over generations lower mutation rates (sampled from the mutation rate distribution of the population) providing for smaller variation among progeny and thus better survival. Stabilizing selection leads to co-selection for phenotypes closer to the population mean and lower mutation rates. Improved somatic maintenance, by lowering the costs of MR, permits greater persistence of phenotypic variability during stasis. b In the conditions of major evolutionary transitions whereby positive selection dominates, the favored phenotypes for adaptive traits are in the selected tail of the population’s phenotypic distribution; such phenotypes should inherit and pass on over generations higher mutation rates from the mutation rate distribution of the population. Positive selection leads to co-selection of phenotypes that deviate from the population mean and higher mutation rates. Improved somatic maintenance, by lowering the cost of MR, will enhance selection for altered trait values that will have increased prevalence in individuals inheriting higher MR (farther right on the schemata)

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