Genaddition

Genaddition is a theoretical term used in genetics and computational genetics to describe the cumulative integration of genetic material from multiple donor genomes into a target genome. The concept blends additive genetic models with simulation-based approaches to genome modification, focusing on how successive additions of alleles can influence phenotypic outcomes across generations. In formal discussions, genaddition treats a recipient genome as the baseline and each donor contribution as an additive effect that is combined through a generational addition operator, often incorporating recombination probabilities and allele frequencies.

Mechanism: The model assigns additive effect sizes to alleles at many loci. The offspring genotype is computed by summing the products of allele dosages and their effects, with adjustments for recombination and selection pressure. The process can be iterated across simulated generations to observe trait progression.

Applications: Genaddition is used in theoretical breeding optimization, educational simulations of polygenic traits, and in some genetic algorithms that model multi-source gene pools. It provides a framework for exploring how cumulative additive contributions might shift mean trait values in populations under specified mating and selection schemes.

Limitations and ethics: Real biological systems involve non-additive interactions, regulatory networks, and gene–environment effects, which genaddition ordinarily omits. It is a simplification rather than a practical genome-editing protocol, and should not be construed as a direct method for altering real genomes. Ethical, legal, and biosafety considerations are central to discussions about any multi-genome integration concepts.

See also: genome editing, additive genetic model, polygenic trait, genetic algorithm, simulated breeding.