Continuity in Evolution: On the Nature of Transitions

To distinguish continuous from discontinuous evolutionary change, a relation of nearness between phenotypes is needed. Such a relation is based on the probability of one phenotype being accessible from another through changes in the genotype. This nearness relation is exemplified by calculating the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1998-05, Vol.280 (5368), p.1451-1455
Main Authors: Fontana, Walter, Schuster, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Base Sequence
Biological and medical sciences
Biological evolution
Computer Simulation
Evolution
Evolution (Biology)
Evolution, Molecular
Free energy
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Frequency
Genes
Genetic mutation
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Genotype
Geometric shapes
Mathematical discontinuity
Mutation
Neighborhoods
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Observations
Phenotype
Phenotypes
Point mutation
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
RNA - chemistry
RNA - genetics
RNA - metabolism
RNA, Transfer - chemistry
Stochastic Processes
Structural Elements (Construction)
Thermodynamics
Topology
Transfer RNA
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Summary:To distinguish continuous from discontinuous evolutionary change, a relation of nearness between phenotypes is needed. Such a relation is based on the probability of one phenotype being accessible from another through changes in the genotype. This nearness relation is exemplified by calculating the shape neighborhood of a transfer RNA secondary structure and provides a characterization of discontinuous shape transformations in RNA. The simulation of replicating and mutating RNA populations under selection shows that sudden adaptive progress coincides mostly, but not always, with discontinuous shape transformations. The nature of these transformations illuminates the key role of neutral genetic drift in their realization.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.280.5368.1451