Genetic hitchhiking can promote the initial spread of strong altruism

Abstract

Background. The evolutionary origin of strong altruism (where the altruist pays an absolute cost in terms of fitness) towards non-kin has never been satisfactorily explained since no mechanism (except genetic drift) seems to be able to overcome the fitness disadvantage of the individual who practiced altruism in the first place. Results. Here we consider a multilocus, single-generation random group model and demonstrate that with low, but realistic levels of recombination and social heterosis (selecting for allelic diversity within groups) altruism can evolve without invoking kin selection, because sampling effects in the formation of temporary groups and selection for complementary haplotypes generate nonrandom associations between alleles at polymorphic loci. Conclusion. By letting altruism get off the ground, selection on other genes favourably interferes with the eventual fate of the altruistic trait due to genetic hitchhiking. © 2008 Santos and Szathmáry; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.