scholarly journals Evolutionary origins of the obesity epidemic: natural selection of thrifty genes or genetic drift following predation release?

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 1607-1610 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M Prentice ◽  
B J Hennig ◽  
A J Fulford
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Genetic Drift ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Evolutionary Origins ◽  
Thrifty Genes ◽  
Selection Of

scholarly journals Evolutionary plant breeding for low input systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. PHILLIPS ◽  
M. S. WOLFE
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Gene Pools ◽  
Heritable Variation ◽  
Low Input ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Evolutionary Origins ◽  
Crop Varieties ◽  
Pure Lines ◽  
And Control ◽  
Selection Of

Heritable variation is at the heart of the process of evolution. However, variation is restricted in breeding for uniform crop populations using the pedigree line approach. Pedigree lines are successful in agriculture because synthetic inputs are used to raise fertility and control weeds, pests and diseases. An alternative method promoted for exploring the value of variation and evolutionary fitness in crops is to create composite cross populations. Composite cross populations are formed by assembling seed stocks with diverse evolutionary origins, recombination of these stocks by hybridization, the bulking of F1 progeny, and subsequent natural selection for mass sorting of the progeny in successive natural cropping environments. Composite cross populations can provide dynamic gene pools, which in turn provide a means of conserving germplasm resources: they can also allow selection of heterogeneous crop varieties. The value of composite cross populations in achieving these aims is dependent on the outcome of mass trials by artificial and natural selection acting upon the heterogeneous mixture. There is evidence to suggest that composite cross populations may be an efficient way of providing heterogeneous crops and of selecting superior pure lines for low input systems characterized by unpredictable stress conditions.

The Natural Selection of Minds

1998 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-264
Author(s):  
Joseph F. Rychlak
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Selection Of

scholarly journals Genetic diversity and natural selection on the thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) gene of Plasmodium falciparum on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea and global comparative analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Yun Lin ◽  
Hui-Ying Huang ◽  
Xue-Yan Liang ◽  
Dong-De Xie ◽  
Jiang-Tao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Protein Structure ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Fixation Index ◽  
Bioko Island ◽  
Adhesive Protein ◽  
Trap Gene ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Background Thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) is a transmembrane protein that plays a crucial role during the invasion of Plasmodium falciparum into liver cells. As a potential malaria vaccine candidate, the genetic diversity and natural selection of PfTRAP was assessed and the global PfTRAP polymorphism pattern was described. Methods 153 blood spot samples from Bioko malaria patients were collected during 2016–2018 and the target TRAP gene was amplified. Together with the sequences from database, nucleotide diversity and natural selection analysis, and the structural prediction were preformed using bioinformatical tools. Results A total of 119 Bioko PfTRAP sequences were amplified successfully. On Bioko Island, PfTRAP shows its high degree of genetic diversity and heterogeneity, with π value for 0.01046 and Hd for 0.99. The value of dN–dS (6.2231, p < 0.05) hinted at natural selection of PfTRAP on Bioko Island. Globally, the African PfTRAPs showed more diverse than the Asian ones, and significant genetic differentiation was discovered by the fixation index between African and Asian countries (Fst > 0.15, p < 0.05). 667 Asian isolates clustered in 136 haplotypes and 739 African isolates clustered in 528 haplotypes by network analysis. The mutations I116T, L221I, Y128F, G228V and P299S were predicted as probably damaging by PolyPhen online service, while mutations L49V, R285G, R285S, P299S and K421N would lead to a significant increase of free energy difference (ΔΔG > 1) indicated a destabilization of protein structure. Conclusions Evidences in the present investigation supported that PfTRAP gene from Bioko Island and other malaria endemic countries is highly polymorphic (especially at T cell epitopes), which provided the genetic information background for developing an PfTRAP-based universal effective vaccine. Moreover, some mutations have been shown to be detrimental to the protein structure or function and deserve further study and continuous monitoring.

Exploring Genetic Drift & Natural Selection through a Simulation Activity

1998 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 681-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Maret ◽  
Steven W. Rissing
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Genetic Drift

The Causal Structure of Natural Selection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles H. Pence
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Genetic Drift ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Philosophy Of Biology ◽  
Philosophy Of Physics ◽  
Potential Value ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Evolutionary Explanations

Recent arguments concerning the nature of causation in evolutionary theory, now often known as the debate between the 'causalist' and 'statisticalist' positions, have involved answers to a variety of independent questions – definitions of key evolutionary concepts like natural selection, fitness, and genetic drift; causation in multi-level systems; or the nature of evolutionary explanations, among others. This Element offers a way to disentangle one set of these questions surrounding the causal structure of natural selection. Doing so allows us to clearly reconstruct the approach that some of these major competing interpretations of evolutionary theory have to this causal structure, highlighting particular features of philosophical interest within each. Further, those features concern problems not exclusive to the philosophy of biology. Connections between them and, in two case studies, contemporary metaphysics and philosophy of physics demonstrate the potential value of broader collaboration in the understanding of evolution.

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