Greenbeard Genes: Theory and Reality

Philip G. Madgwick; Laurence J. Belcher; Jason B. Wolf

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2019.08.001

Greenbeard Genes: Theory and Reality

Philip G. Madgwick, Laurence J. Belcher, Jason B. Wolf

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

26 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Greenbeard genes were proposed as a cartoonish thought experiment to explain why altruism can be a selfish strategy from the perspective of genes. The likelihood of finding a real greenbeard gene in nature was thought to be remote because they were believed to require a set of improbable properties. Yet, despite this expectation, there is an ongoing explosion in claimed discoveries of greenbeard genes. Bringing together the latest theory and experimental findings, we argue that there is a need to dispose of the cartoon presentation of a greenbeard to refocus their burgeoning empirical study on the more fundamental concept that the thought experiment was designed to illustrate.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1092-1103
Number of pages	12
Journal	Trends in Ecology and Evolution
Volume	34
Issue number	12
Early online date	2 Sept 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.08.001
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2019

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to thank David Haig and Chris Thompson for helpful discussions, as well as Andy Gardner and three anonymous referees for constructive comments. We would also like to thank our funders: South West Biosciences (SWBio; Doctoral Training Partnership grant to P.G.M.), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC; grant GW4+ to L.J.B.), and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC; grant BB/M01035X/1 to J.B.W.). This work was partially completed as part of a fellowship from the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin to J.B.W. (also a study visit from P.G.M.).

Funding

We would like to thank David Haig and Chris Thompson for helpful discussions, as well as Andy Gardner and three anonymous referees for constructive comments. We would also like to thank our funders: South West Biosciences (SWBio; Doctoral Training Partnership grant to P.G.M.), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC; grant GW4+ to L.J.B.), and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC; grant BB/M01035X/1 to J.B.W.). This work was partially completed as part of a fellowship from the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin to J.B.W. (also a study visit from P.G.M.).

Keywords

altruism
cooperation
gene conflict
kin selection
social evolution

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tree.2019.08.001

Cite this

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title = "Greenbeard Genes: Theory and Reality",

abstract = "Greenbeard genes were proposed as a cartoonish thought experiment to explain why altruism can be a selfish strategy from the perspective of genes. The likelihood of finding a real greenbeard gene in nature was thought to be remote because they were believed to require a set of improbable properties. Yet, despite this expectation, there is an ongoing explosion in claimed discoveries of greenbeard genes. Bringing together the latest theory and experimental findings, we argue that there is a need to dispose of the cartoon presentation of a greenbeard to refocus their burgeoning empirical study on the more fundamental concept that the thought experiment was designed to illustrate.",

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note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank David Haig and Chris Thompson for helpful discussions, as well as Andy Gardner and three anonymous referees for constructive comments. We would also like to thank our funders: South West Biosciences (SWBio; Doctoral Training Partnership grant to P.G.M.), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC; grant GW4+ to L.J.B.), and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC; grant BB/M01035X/1 to J.B.W.). This work was partially completed as part of a fellowship from the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin to J.B.W. (also a study visit from P.G.M.). ",

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AU - Belcher, Laurence J.

AU - Wolf, Jason B.

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N2 - Greenbeard genes were proposed as a cartoonish thought experiment to explain why altruism can be a selfish strategy from the perspective of genes. The likelihood of finding a real greenbeard gene in nature was thought to be remote because they were believed to require a set of improbable properties. Yet, despite this expectation, there is an ongoing explosion in claimed discoveries of greenbeard genes. Bringing together the latest theory and experimental findings, we argue that there is a need to dispose of the cartoon presentation of a greenbeard to refocus their burgeoning empirical study on the more fundamental concept that the thought experiment was designed to illustrate.

AB - Greenbeard genes were proposed as a cartoonish thought experiment to explain why altruism can be a selfish strategy from the perspective of genes. The likelihood of finding a real greenbeard gene in nature was thought to be remote because they were believed to require a set of improbable properties. Yet, despite this expectation, there is an ongoing explosion in claimed discoveries of greenbeard genes. Bringing together the latest theory and experimental findings, we argue that there is a need to dispose of the cartoon presentation of a greenbeard to refocus their burgeoning empirical study on the more fundamental concept that the thought experiment was designed to illustrate.

KW - altruism

KW - cooperation

KW - gene conflict

KW - kin selection

KW - social evolution

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Greenbeard Genes: Theory and Reality

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Fingerprint

A Genomic Perspective on Social Selection, Natural Selection and Random Genetic Drift

Cite this

Greenbeard Genes: Theory and Reality

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

A Genomic Perspective on Social Selection, Natural Selection and Random Genetic Drift

Cite this