Pleiotropic mutation, modularity and evolvability.

Abstract excerpt

The relationship between pleiotropy and the rate of evolution of a phenotypic character (evolvability) in a population is explored using computer simulations. I present results that suggest the rate of evolution of a phenotypic character may not decline when that character is pleiotropically associated to an increasing number of other characters, provided that the characters are under pure directional selection...

Topics

• Adaptation, Physiological
• Computer Simulation
• Evolution, Molecular
• Genetics, Population
• Models, Genetic
• Mutation
• Selection, Genetic