Evolution models with base substitutions, insertions, deletions and selection

TL;DR

This paper presents an exact solution for an evolution model incorporating mutations, insertions, deletions, and selection, analyzing how these processes affect mean fitness in large genomes.

Contribution

It provides an exact analytical solution for a complex evolution model with multiple mutation types and selection, including the effects of insertions and deletions.

Findings

Mean fitness calculated exactly in large-genome limit

Evolution characteristics depend on reference sequence choice

Model accommodates both single-peak and smooth fitness functions

Abstract

The evolution model with parallel mutation-selection scheme is solved for the case when selection is accompanied by base substitutions, insertions, and deletions. The fitness is assumed to be either a single-peak function (i.e., having one finite discontinuity) or a smooth function of the Hamming distance from the reference sequence. The mean fitness is exactly calculated in large-genome limit. In the case of insertions and deletions the evolution characteristics depend on the choice of reference sequence.