Ancient polymorphism reveals unidirectional breeding system shifts.

ABSTRACT: Loss of complex characters is thought to be irreversible (Dollo's law). However, hypotheses of irreversible evolution are remarkably difficult to test, especially when character transitions are frequent. In such cases, inference of ancestral states, in the absence of fossil evidence, is uncertain and represents the single greatest constraint for reconstructing the evolutionary history of characters. Breeding system character transitions are of particular interest because they affect the amount and distribution of genetic variation within species. Transitions from obligate outcrossing to partial or predominant self-fertilization are thought to represent one of the most common trends in flowering plants. We use the unique molecular genetic properties (manifested as deep persistent polymorphi

SUBMITTER: Igic B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1360522 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature