It's been 8 months since the publication of "A mixibility theory for the role of sex in evolution <http://www.pnas.org/content/105/50/19803.abstract>" by Livnat *et. al.* (PNAS December 16, 2008). But I didn't come across it until very recently. The message is that sexual reproduction doesn't contribute directly to scaling fitness peaks. Instead over a period of generations it selects for genes that work well with a wide range of other genes. (That's what the "mixibility" in the title refers to.) This in turn leads to modularity within the genome, which leads to improved evolvability--since the genes are not so tightly coupled to each other.
This seems like a very different way of understanding the role of sexual reproduction. I'm surprised that it hasn't generated more buzz. Or is it just that I haven't been paying attention? -- Russ
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