title: The role of balancing selection and overdominance in maintaining allozyme polymorphism.
abstract: Three approaches to the estimation of the role of balancing selection in maintaining allozyme polymorphism are considered: 1) Analysis of the stationary distributions of allelic frequencies in a native subdivided population; 2) Comparison of the genotypic distributions at the early and late developmental stages in successive generations of the same population; 3) Analysis of the 'joint' variability of monogenic and polygenic traits. The conclusion is drawn that allozyme polymorphism must not be regarded as a transient phase of molecular evolution but as its stationary phase. The mechanisms responsible for supporting such stability are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Vavilov General Genetics Institute, U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
authors.lastname: Altukhov YuP
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005799:Genes, Dominant / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D006579:Heterozygote; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012474:Salmon / Q000235:genetics; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes