Rare Events in Population Genetics: Stochastic Tunneling in a Two-Locus Model with Recombination

Alexander Altland, Andrej Fischer, Joachim Krug, and Ivan G. Szendro
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 088101 – Published 22 February 2011

Abstract

We study the evolution of a population in a two-locus genotype space, in which the negative effects of two single mutations are overcompensated in a high-fitness double mutant. We discuss how the interplay of finite population size N and sexual recombination at rate r affects the escape times tesc to the double mutant. For small populations demographic noise generates massive fluctuations in tesc. The mean escape time varies nonmonotonically with r, and grows exponentially as lntescN(rr*)3/2 beyond a critical value r*.

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  • Received 8 December 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.088101

© 2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Alexander Altland, Andrej Fischer, Joachim Krug, and Ivan G. Szendro

  • Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität zu Köln, D-50973 Köln, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 106, Iss. 8 — 25 February 2011

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