Genetic hitchhiking or genetic draft is the process by which an allele may increase in frequency by virtue of being linked to a gene that is positively selected. Proximity on a chromosome may allow genes to be dragged along with a selective sweep experienced by an advantageous gene nearby. More generally, genetic hitchhiking can refer to changes in an allele's frequency due to any form of selection operating upon linked genes, including background selection against deleterious mutations.
Whether a neutral allele becomes fixed is a matter of chance. The traditional view of this stochastic process is that it is dominated by sampling error, that is genetic drift. But it may instead be dominated by whether the allele is linked to a good genetic background: this is known as genetic draft.
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Famous quotes containing the word genetic:
“Nature, we are starting to realize, is every bit as important as nurture. Genetic influences, brain chemistry, and neurological development contribute strongly to who we are as children and what we become as adults. For example, tendencies to excessive worrying or timidity, leadership qualities, risk taking, obedience to authority, all appear to have a constitutional aspect.”
—Stanley Turecki (20th century)