An Analytically Solvable Model for Rapid Evolution of Modular Structure
An Analytically Solvable Model for Rapid Evolution of Modular Structure
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DOI：
10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000355
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发表时间：
2009-04-01
影响因子：
4.3
通讯作者：
Alon, Uri
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Kashtan, Nadav;Mayo, Avi E.;Alon, Uri
生物系统通常表现出模块化，即它们可以分解为几乎独立的子系统。最近的研究表明，如果目标（环境）随着时间的推移而改变，模块化结构就会自发地出现，这样每个新目标都与以前的目标共享相同的子问题集。相对于恒定目标下的进化，这种模块化变化的目标还可以极大地加速进化。这些研究基于模型系统的模拟，例如逻辑电路和 RNA 结构，这些系统通常不容易进行分析处理。我们在这里提出了一个可以通过分析解决的模块化变化目标下的简单进化模型。该模型有助于理解在模块化变化的目标下导致模块化结构快速出现的一些基本机制。特别是，该模型提出了一种在这种随时间变化的目标下观察到的进化急剧加速的机制。
Biological systems often display modularity, in the sense that they can be decomposed into nearly independent subsystems. Recent studies have suggested that modular structure can spontaneously emerge if goals (environments) change over time, such that each new goal shares the same set of sub-problems with previous goals. Such modularly varying goals can also dramatically speed up evolution, relative to evolution under a constant goal. These studies were based on simulations of model systems, such as logic circuits and RNA structure, which are generally not easy to treat analytically. We present, here, a simple model for evolution under modularly varying goals that can be solved analytically. This model helps to understand some of the fundamental mechanisms that lead to rapid emergence of modular structure under modularly varying goals. In particular, the model suggests a mechanism for the dramatic speedup in evolution observed under such temporally varying goals.