GeNES - Gene Network Evolution System
GeNES is a command-line tool for simulating the evolution of artificial gene regulatory networks.
The question of why sexual reproduction evolved has long taxed biologists.
We
propose that sexual reproduction actually
selects for conditions that favour its own maintenance - a case of evolution
forging its own path.
One possible advantage of sex is that it may help rid the genome of harmful
mutations. When, as a result of sexual reproduction, organisms shuffle their
genes, harmful mutations can be brought together in the same genome, making
them more susceptible to the cleansing action of natural selection. But for
this to work, mutations must be more harmful when combined in the same
genome than when separated - a phenomenon known as 'negative epistasis'.
We used
GeNES to show that
recombination between genetic networks could favour the evolution of very
robust genomes. It seems that the evolution of negative epistasis is a
by-product of this process, further reinforcing the genetic benefits of
sexual recombination. This would help to explain why sexual reproduction is
so common in species despite its inherent costs, such as that of searching
for mates. (
Azevedo et al., 2006).