Ecological aspects of the recombination problem

Abstract

Some consequences of the effect of environmental factors on the recombination system are dealt with in this paper. There are two components involved - the system of individual adaptation (F-system) and the genetic system of population adaptation (R-system). Their interaction offers an optimum interrelation of immediate adaptivity and genetic flexibility within the population. Familiar data on the evolution of recombination control systems are considered in connection with the problems of induced broadening of genotypic variation spectrum with a view to selection.A notion of combined recombination rate and spectrum control is introduced here: disturbance control-due to direct influence of environmental factors on R-system (including meiotic processes), negative feedback control - due to dominance-recessiveness relationship between rec-loci alleles of the "fine" control system, and to the dependence of the R-system on the F-system norms of reaction to environment variation. The problem of dependence of the recombination spectrum on environmental factors has been considered and the hypothesis of a possible mechanism of such a dependence suggested.