Local adaptation and the evolution of chromosome fusions

Abstract

We use forward and coalescent models of population genetics to study chromosome fusions that reduce the recombination between two locally adapted loci. Under a continent-island model, a fusion spreads and reaches a polymorphic equilibrium when it causes recombination between locally adapted alleles to be less than their selective advantage. In contrast, fusions in a two-deme model always spread; whether it reaches a polymorphic equilibrium or becomes fixed depends on the relative recombination rates of fused homozygotes and heterozygotes. Neutral divergence around fusion polymorphisms is markedly increased, showing peaks at the point of fusion and at the locally adapted loci. Local adaptation could explain the evolution of many of chromosome fusions, which are some of the most common chromosome rearrangements in nature.