The intermediate evolution phase in case of truncated selection

TL;DR

This paper uses statistical physics to analyze Eigen's quasispecies theory with a truncated fitness landscape, revealing three distinct phases depending on mutation rates, including an intermediate phase with residual order.

Contribution

It provides rigorous theoretical calculations for quasispecies evolution with truncated fitness landscapes, extending the understanding of phase transitions in such systems.

Findings

Identification of three phases: selective, intermediate, and randomized.

Existence of an intermediate phase with residual order.

Applicability of results to general fitness landscapes.

Abstract

Using methods of statistical physics, we present rigorous theoretical calculations of Eigen's quasispecies theory with the truncated fitness landscape which dramatically limits the available sequence space of a reproducing quasispecies. Depending on the mutation rates, we observe three phases, a selective one, an intermediate one with some residual order and a completely randomized phase. Our results are applicable for the general case of fitness landscape.