A Hamilton-Jacobi approach for the evolutionary dynamics of a model with gene transfer: characterizing monomorphic dynamics for non-concave fitness functions

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the long-term behavior of a population model incorporating mutation, selection, gene transfer, and competition, using Hamilton-Jacobi equations to characterize different evolutionary regimes with non-concave fitness functions.

Contribution

It extends Hamilton-Jacobi methods to non-concave growth rates, characterizing two distinct evolutionary outcomes in gene transfer models.

Findings

Solution concentrates around a dominant trait balancing selection and gene transfer.

In some regimes, the population evolves to a maladapted trait leading to extinction.

The approach applies to non-concave fitness functions, broadening previous methods.

Abstract

We study the asymptotic behavior of an integro-dierential equation describing the evolutionary adaptation of a population structured by a phenotypic trait. The model takes into account mutation, selection, horizontal gene transfer and competition. Previous works, based on the numerical studies or theoretical study of the corresponding stationary problem, have shown that the dynamics of the solutions are rich and we may expect several qualitative outcomes. In this article, we characterize the dynamics of the solution in two regimes: 1) a situation where the solution concentrates around a dominant trait, evolving gradually to a trait determined by a balance between selection and horizontal gene transfer; 2) a situation where the solution concentrates around a dominant trait which evolves gradually to a maladapted trait such that the population becomes extinct (a situation known as the evolutionary suicide). Our analysis is based on an approach involving Hamilton-Jacobi equations with constraint. Previously, the solutions to such equations were characterized for globally concave growth rates. Here, we extend this approach to situations where the growth rate is not globally concave.