A test of neutrality based on interlocus associations.
The evolutionary processes governing variability within genomic regions of low recombination have been the focus of many studies. Here, I investigate the statistical properties of a measure of interlocus genetic associations under the assumption that mutations are selectively neutral and sites are completely linked. This measure, denoted ZnS, is based on the squared correlation of allelic identity at pairs of polymorphic sites. Upper bounds for ZnS are determined by simulations. Various deviations from the neutral model, including several different forms of natural selection, will inflate the value of ZnS relative to its neutral theory expectations. Larger than expected values of ZnS are observed in genetic samples from the yellow-ac-scute and Adh regions of Drosophila melanogaster.
Kelly
J K
JK
Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. jkk@darkwing.uoregon.edu
D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation
D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase