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Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
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Mutation rates and evolution of multiple coding in RNA-based protocells.

Folkert K de Boer1, Paulien Hogeweg

  • 1Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, fkdeboer@gmail.com.

Journal of Molecular Evolution
|October 5, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

RNA evolution enables complex functions despite high mutation rates. Different folding mechanisms impact genome size and fitness, with adapters proving consistently beneficial for RNA molecules.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Ribonucleic acid (RNA) plays diverse biological roles, acting as a key molecule in genotype-phenotype mappings.
  • Understanding how RNA evolves to perform multiple functions is crucial for comprehending biological complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolution of multiple coding strategies in RNA under varying mutation rates.
  • To analyze three distinct genotype-phenotype mappings: cofolding, suboptimal folding, and adapter-based folding.

Main Methods:

  • Simulating evolutionary processes of protocells with sets of RNA sequences.
  • Evaluating the ability of sequences to encode predefined functional structures while avoiding misfoldings.
  • Analyzing the impact of mutation rates on genome size and fitness across different folding mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • High fitness is achievable even at elevated mutation rates.
  • Cofolding limits the avoidance of misfolded structures, while adapters consistently enhance fitness.
  • Mutation rates influence genome size differently based on the folding method employed.

Conclusions:

  • RNA's inherent properties facilitate the evolution of complexity, even under high mutation rates.
  • Evolutionary processes select for RNA molecules capable of forming multiple structures.
  • Adapter-based folding offers a significant advantage for RNA function and evolution.