The hitch-hiking effect – a reply

1976/02/01 by John Haigh, John Maynard Smith · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling

paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0016672300016268

openalex publication_date 1976/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26

Abstract

We have no serious disagreement with the mathematical arguments presented by Ohta & Kimura (1975). We do, however, have reservations about their conclusions that ‘the hitch-hiking effect is generally unimportant as a mechanism for reducing heterozygosity’, and still prefer our own approach (Maynard Smith & Haigh, 1974).

Citations

• The effect of selected linked locus on heterozygosity of neutral alleles (the hitch-hiking effect)
• The hitch-hiking effect of a favourable gene

Discussions

• there's a whole back and forth between them, with MS&H saying "but we're talking about selection from new mutations" and O&K saying "but we think selection from standing variation is more likely" doi [bsky, 4 points, 0 comments]

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