Evolution by nearly-neutral mutations

Abstract

Genetic systems are complex and interact at various levels; among amino acids or nucleotide sites, among gene products, and among regulatory regions and proteins. Patterns of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions of mammalian genes indicate that nonsynonymous substitutions are nearly neutral, coming from interactions among amino acids. As an interactive system, the NK model of Kauffman was analysed. This model assumes that each amino acid makes a fitness contribution that depends upon the amino acid and upon K other amino acids among the N that make the protein. Through simulations, it was found that there are numerous nearly-neutral mutations in this model, and that evolution is rapid in small populations and slow in large ones. The system moves on the rugged fitness landscape by mutation, random genetic drift and selection. Small populations have more chance to attain novel genetic systems than large ones because of larger effects of random drift, but the chance of extinction becomes greater.