Distribution of mutation rates challenges evolutionary predictability.

Abstract excerpt

Natural selection is commonly assumed to act on extensive standing genetic variation. Yet, accumulating evidence highlights the role of mutational processes creating this genetic variation: to become evolutionarily successful, adaptive mutants must not only reach fixation, but also emerge in the first place, i.e. have a high enough mutation rate. Here, we use numerical simulations to investigate how mutational...

Topics

• Mutation Rate
• Mutation
• Selection, Genetic