Gene flow
From EvoWiki
Theory of Evolution > Variation > Gene flow
Gene flow occurs when genes from different populations mix, increasing the variation in each population. Gene flow usually occurs when an individual or small group migrates between populations and reproduces contributing its genes to the new population.
In sexually reproducing plants gene flow does not require the migration of individuals, but simply the dispersal of gametes.
Gene flow is an important process because it can transfer unique mutations between populations. It is a source of variation in the recipient population, but serves to homogenise the species as a whole, preventing speciation events between otherwise isolated groups.
Gene flow can also occur between closely related species who can produce fertile hybrids which vector genes between species. Genes can be transferred between more distantly related species, called horizontal transfer, but this occurs less often.
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This page is part of the EvoWiki encyclopedia of genetics and molecular biology. Topics: Genetics - Transmission genetics - Molecular genetics - Population genetics - Quantitative genetics - Molecular biology - Genomics |
