2015/01/20 by Jeong-Man Park, Man Chen, Dong Wang +1 · 7 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Biological evolution #Biology #Computer science #Demography #Ecology #Evolution and Genetic Dynamics #Evolutionary biology #Fitness landscape #Genetics #Influenza Virus Research Studies #Modular design #Modularity (biology) #Physics #RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms #Statistical physics #q-bio.PE
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1478-3975/12/2/025001
published in Physical Biology 12(2), 025001 (IOP Publishing) · 45 pages; 7 figures
arxiv created 2015/01/20 · openalex publication_date 2015/03/19 · arxiv updated 2015/06/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Biological systems are modular, and this modularity affects the evolution of biological systems over time and in different environments. We here develop a theory for the dynamics of evolution in a rugged, modular fitness landscape. We show analytically how horizontal gene transfer couples to the modularity in the system and leads to more rapid rates of evolution at short times. The model, in general, analytically demonstrates a selective pressure for the prevalence of modularity in biology. We use this model to show how the evolution of the influenza virus is affected by the modularity of the proteins that are recognized by the human immune system. Approximately 25% of the observed rate of fitness increase of the virus could be ascribed to a modular viral landscape.