Modelling ‘evo‐devo’ with RNA

2002/11/22 by Walter Fontana · 3 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms #RNA Research and Splicing #Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics

paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/bies.10190

openalex publication_date 2002/11/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15

Abstract

The folding of RNA sequences into secondary structures is a simple yet biophysically grounded model of a genotype-phenotype map. Its computational and mathematical analysis has uncovered a surprisingly rich statistical structure characterized by shape space covering, neutral networks and plastogenetic congruence. I review these concepts and discuss their evolutionary implications.

Citations

• Fast folding and comparison of RNA secondary structures
• Evolutionary Rate at the Molecular Level
• The Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution
• Developmental Constraints and Evolution: A Perspective from the Mountain Lake Conference on Development and Evolution
• Neutral evolution of mutational robustness
• RNA secondary structure: physical and computational aspects
• The Strategy of the Genes

Cited by

• Evolution of Macromolecular Structure: A ‘Double Tale’ of Biological Accretion and Diversification
• Phenotype Bias Determines How Natural RNA Structures Occupy the Morphospace of All Possible Shapes
• Bias in the introduction of variation [wikipedia]