Mutation, asexual reproduction and genetic load: A study in three parts

Abstract

My dissertation addresses mutation and complex mating systems (models of mating systems that include outcrossing, selfing, and asexual reproduction) in three distinct chapters. Chapter 2 discusses the direct estimation of mutation rates for di-nucleotide microsatellite markers in the model genetic organism, Arabidopsis thaliana. Chapter 3 describes an empirical study that estimates quantitative genetic variance components, genetic diversity, and inbreeding depression/inbreeding load for a predominately asexual population of Mimulus guttatus. This study also fits different evolutionary models to the empirical data to determine which model best describes the population. Chapter 4 is a theoretical investigation of the effects asexual reproduction, outcrossing and selfing on the average number of deleterious mutations per gamete and inbreeding load for infinite and finite populations. The study utilizes both Infinite (an infinite number of genetic loci and an infinite population size) and Finite (a small number of genetic loci and a variety of small population sizes) computer simulations. These simulations incorporate different meiotic and mitotic mutation rates, varying degrees of dominance and differing strengths of selection.