Robustness and evolvability of heterogeneous cell populations.

ABSTRACT: Biological systems are endowed with two fundamental but seemingly contradictory properties: robustness, the ability to withstand environmental fluctuations and genetic variability; and evolvability, the ability to acquire selectable and heritable phenotypic changes. Cell populations with heterogeneous genetic makeup, such as those of infectious microbial organisms or cancer, rely on their inherent robustness to maintain viability and fitness, but when encountering environmental insults, such as drug treatment, these populations are also poised for rapid adaptation through evolutionary selection. In this study, we develop a general mathematical model that allows us to explain and quantify this fundamental relationship between robustness and evolvability of heterogeneous cell populations. Ou

SUBMITTER: Kucharavy A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5994894 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature