Gamete recognition and complementary haplotypes in sexual Penna ageing model

TL;DR

This study introduces a gamete recognition mechanism in a simulated sexual reproduction model, showing how it promotes complementary haplotypes at low recombination rates, affecting evolutionary dynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates how gamete recognition influences haplotype complementarity and mutation patterns in a Penna ageing model, a novel aspect in simulation studies.

Findings

Complementary haplotypes evolve at low recombination rates.

Gamete recognition enhances the advantage of haplotype complementarity.

High recombination rates lead to mutation purifying selection.

Abstract

In simulations of sexual reproduction with diploid individuals, we introduce that female haploid gametes recognize one specific allele of the genomes as a marker of the male haploid gametes. They fuse to zygotes preferrably with male gametes having a different marker than their own. This gamete recognition enhances the advantage of complementary bit-strings in the simulated diploid individuals, at low recombination rates. Thus with rare recombinations the bit-string evolve to be complementary; with recombination rate above about 0.1 instead they evolve under Darwinian purification selection, with few bits mutated.