%0 Journal Article
%T Error-threshold exists in fitness landscapes with lethal mutants
%A Nobuto Takeuchi
%A Paulien Hogeweg
%J BMC Evolutionary Biology
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2148-7-15
%X To examine the effect of mutant lethality on the existence of the error-threshold, we extend the quasi-species equation by taking the lethality of mutants into account, assuming that lethal genotypes are uniformly distributed in the genotype space. First, with the simplification of neglecting back mutations, we calculate the error-threshold as the maximum allowable mutation rate for which the fittest genotype can survive. Second, with the full consideration of back mutations, we study the equilibrium population distribution and the ancestor distribution in the genotype space as a function of error rate with and without lethality in a multiplicative fitness landscape. The results show that a high lethality of mutants actually introduces an error-threshold in a multiplicative fitness landscape in sharp contrast to the conclusion of Wilke. Furthermore, irrespective of the lethality of mutants, the delocalization of the population from the fittest genotype occurs for an error rate much smaller than random replication. Finally, the results are shown to extend to a system of finite populations.High lethality of mutants introduces an error-threshold in a multiplicative fitness landscape. Furthermore, irrespective of the lethality of mutants, the break down of evolutionary optimization happens for an error rate much smaller than random replication.One of the important insights of quasi-species theory is the existence of an error-threshold [1-3]. The error-threshold is the error rate of replication above which the sudden onset of the population delocalization from the fittest genotype occurs despite Darwinian selection; i.e., the break down of evolutionary optimization. The error-threshold hampers the evolutionary accumulation of information through increasing the genome size of the replicator because a longer genome receives mutations more frequently for a given error rate [1,4].A recent article of Wilke reviewed the quasi-species theory in the context of population genetic
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/7/15