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Free keywords:
ddPCR; experimental evolution; mating types; genotypes; multiplex;
Chlamydomonas; microbes; allele frequencies; digital PCR
Abstract:
1. Experimental evolution is an important research framework for evolutionary
biologists as it allows direct testing of fundamental theories about adaptation and
diversity, which often requires the tracking of genotypes or alleles over time. This
however requires tools such as genetic markers, distinguishable morphological
characters or genotyping, which can be time and labor intensive, and especially if
high-throughput processing is necessary.
2. Here we present a novel approach of combining multiplex ddPCR with
experimental evolution for tracking genotype frequencies in different experimental
populations over time.
3. We found this method to be both precise and accurate for detecting and
quantifying targets of interest, especially as compared to traditional PCR methods.
4. The use of multiplex ddPCR to follow frequencies can be used for a wide range of
experimental evolution applications.