Mathematical Sciences: Problems in Population Genetics

理论模型和数据分析将用于研究细菌的基因内重组，以及可以从DNA序列的统计分析中推断出的种群动态的其他方面。一个典型的问题是(i)试图估计经典遗传漂变和基因转换作为原核生物平衡等位基因分布中的保守力的相对强度。最近发展的用于分析DNA序列的统计技术已经显示了大肠杆菌中涉及300个碱基对或更少片段的常见菌株间基因转换的有力证据。提出的其他课题是：（ii）研究这些测试的统计能力和一致性，（iii）开发统计技术，以估计样品外部菌株的这类基因内重组的频率。

Theoretical models and data analysis are to be used to study intragenic recombination in bacteria, as well as other aspects of population dynamics that can be inferred from statistical analysis of DNA sequences. A typical question is (i) attempt to estimate the relative strength of classical genetic drift and gene conversion as conservative forces in equilibrium allele distributions in prokaryotes. Recently developed statistical techniques for analysing DNA sequences have shown strong evidence for common between-strain gene conversion involving segments of 300 base pairs or less in the bacterium Escherichia coli. Other topics proposed are to (ii) study the statistical power and consistency of these tests, (iii) develop statistical techniques for estimating the frequency of this type of intragenic recombination with strains external to a sample.