title: Forward-in-Time, Spatially Explicit Modeling Software to Simulate Genetic Lineages Under Selection.
abstract: SELECTOR is a software package for studying the evolution of multiallelic genes under balancing or positive selection while simulating complex evolutionary scenarios that integrate demographic growth and migration in a spatially explicit population framework. Parameters can be varied both in space and time to account for geographical, environmental, and cultural heterogeneity. SELECTOR can be used within an approximate Bayesian computation estimation framework. We first describe the principles of SELECTOR and validate the algorithms by comparing its outputs for simple models with theoretical expectations. Then, we show how it can be used to investigate genetic differentiation of loci under balancing selection in interconnected demes with spatially heterogeneous gene flow. We identify situations in which balancing selection reduces genetic differentiation between population groups compared with neutrality and explain conflicting outcomes observed for human leukocyte antigen loci. These results and three previously published applications demonstrate that SELECTOR is efficient and robust for building insight into human settlement history and evolution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History, Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Currat
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.; Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerbault
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History, Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History, Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anthropology, Genetics and Peopling History, Department of Genetics and Evolution - Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Mazas
keywords: HLA; MHC lineages; balancing selection; population genetics; spatially explicit simulation