Similarity Selection and the Evolution of Sex: Revisiting the Red Queen
2006
The Red Queen Gets a New Lease on Life
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Aneil Agrawal
Hypothesis
Does maternal transmission of parasites influence the evolution of sexual reproduction?
Conclusion
Agrawal's model suggests that maternal transmission of parasites can favor sexual reproduction even when previous models indicated otherwise.
Supporting Evidence
- Agrawal's model shows that maternal transmission increases the likelihood of parasites favoring sex.
- The study indicates that similarity selection can significantly impact the evolution of modifier alleles.
- Previous models underestimated the conditions under which sex is favored due to genetic mixing.
Takeaway
This study shows that when parasites are passed from mother to offspring, it can actually help make sex more beneficial for survival.
Methodology
Theoretical analysis of host-parasite interactions considering both genotypic and similarity selection.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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