L-shaped distribution of the relative substitution rate (c/μ) observed for SARS-COV-2's genome, inconsistent with the selectionist theory, the neutral theory and the nearly neutral theory but a near-neutral balanced selection theory: Implication on "neutralist-selectionist" debate.

ABSTRACT: The genomic substitution rate (GSR) of SARS-CoV-2 exhibits a molecular clock feature and does not change under fluctuating environmental factors such as the infected human population (10°-10⁷), vaccination etc. The molecular clock feature is believed to be inconsistent with the selectionist theory (ST). The GSR shows lack of dependence on the effective population size, suggesting Ohta's nearly neutral theory (ONNT) is not applicable to this virus. Big variation of the substitution rate within its genome is also inconsistent with Kimura's neutral theory (KNT). Thus, all three existing evolution theories fail to explain the evolutionary nature of this virus. In this paper, we proposed a Segment Substitution Rate Model (SSRM) under non-neutral selections and pointed out that a bala

SUBMITTER: Wu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9814386 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature