Smith, C.A.M. (2011) Sexual selection in yeast. Doctoral thesis, UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Saccharomyces yeasts are unique as a model system in evolutionary biology. They offer all the traditional benefits of fast generation times and easy maintenance found in other microbes such as Escherichia coli. In addition, Saccharomyces are diploid eukaryotes capable of asexual and sexual reproduction. In this thesis I develop Saccharomyces as a model organism for the study of sexual selection. I show that its mating pheromone is costly to produce and maintain, and that this cost is greater for lower quality individuals. This suggests that the pheromone may have evolved as a sexual signal under the Handicap Principle. I show that size can offer direct benefits during mating and that these are in fact selected for. I show that preferential mating also takes place to help clear deleterious mutations from a population. I also investigate mating barriers in yeast to better understand how yeast mating may take place in nature.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Title: | Sexual selection in yeast |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Third party copyright material (article) has been removed from this thesis |
| UCL classification: | UCL > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Biosciences (Division of) > Genetics, Evolution and Environment |
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