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Related Concept Videos

What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.The Theory of Natural...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).Mechanisms of Genetic VariationThe original sources of genetic variation are mutations,...
Population Growth00:57

Population Growth

Population size is dynamic, increasing with birth rates and immigration, and decreasing with death rates and emigration. In ideal conditions with unlimited resources, populations can increase exponentially, which plots as a J-shaped growth rate curve of population size against time. This type of curve is characteristic of newly-introduced invasive species, or populations that have suffered catastrophic declines and are rebounding.However, realistic environmental conditions limit the number of...

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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Published on: February 3, 2023

Network growth for enhanced natural selection.

Valmir C Barbosa1, Raul Donangelo, Sergio R Souza

  • 1Programa de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computação, COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Caixa Postal 68511, 21941-972 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|October 2, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Natural selection can overcome random drift in population evolution. A novel network growth method creates structured populations, significantly increasing the probability of beneficial mutations spreading.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Population genetics
  • Network theory

Background:

  • Natural selection and random drift are key evolutionary forces.
  • Population structure significantly influences the fixation probability of mutations.
  • Previous studies identified artificial network topologies that favor fixation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if naturally inspired network structures can enhance natural selection over random drift.
  • To develop a randomized network growth mechanism that promotes the spread of beneficial mutations.
  • To quantify the impact of emergent population structure on fixation probability.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized network growth mechanism was developed, inspired by properties of known fixation-favoring topologies.
  • Simulations were conducted to compare fixation probabilities in structured versus unstructured populations.
  • The study focused on the spread of highly fit mutants within these populations.

Main Results:

  • The randomized growth mechanism generated structured populations.
  • Simulations demonstrated significantly higher fixation probabilities in these structured populations compared to unstructured ones.
  • The results indicate that population structure can substantially enhance natural selection's efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • Emergent population structures can favor natural selection over random drift.
  • The developed network growth mechanism provides a pathway to creating populations that enhance beneficial mutation spread.
  • This research supports the role of natural population structures in promoting adaptive evolution.