Effects of ploidy and recombination on evolution of robustness in a model of the segment polarity network.

ABSTRACT: Many genetic networks are astonishingly robust to quantitative variation, allowing these networks to continue functioning in the face of mutation and environmental perturbation. However, the evolution of such robustness remains poorly understood for real genetic networks. Here we explore whether and how ploidy and recombination affect the evolution of robustness in a detailed computational model of the segment polarity network. We introduce a novel computational method that predicts the quantitative values of biochemical parameters from bit sequences representing genotype, allowing our model to bridge genotype to phenotype. Using this, we simulate 2,000 generations of evolution in a population of individuals under stabilizing and truncation selection, selecting for individuals that could s

SUBMITTER: Kim KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2637435 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature