Supply-driven evolution: mutation bias and trait-fitness distributions can drive macro-evolutionary dynamics
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Xue, Zhunping
Chindelevitch, Leonid
Guichard, Frederic
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Many well-documented macro-evolutionary phenomena still challenge current evolutionary theory. Examples include long-term evolutionary trends, major transitions in evolution, conservation of certain biological features such as hox genes, and the episodic creation of new taxa. Here, we present a framework that may explain these phenomena. We do so by introducing a probabilistic relationship between trait value and reproductive fitness. This integration allows mutation bias to become a robust driver of long-term evolutionary trends against environmental bias, in a way that is consistent with all current evolutionary theories. In cases where mutation bias is strong, such as when detrimental mutations are more common than beneficial mutations, a regime called “supply-driven” evolution can arise. This regime can explain the irreversible persistence of higher structural hierarchies, which happens in the major transitions in evolution. We further generalize this result in the long-term dynamics of phenotype spaces. We show how mutations that open new phenotype spaces can become frozen in time. At the same time, new possibilities may be observed as a burst in the creation of new taxa.
Date Issued
2023-01-10
Date Acceptance
2022-11-23
Citation
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2023, 10
ISSN
2296-701X
Publisher
Frontiers Media
Journal / Book Title
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Volume
10
Copyright Statement
© 2023 Xue, Chindelevitch and Guichard. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 1048752
Date Publish Online
2022-11-23