title: Directionality of evolution at molecular and organismic levels.
abstract: The molecular evolution theories of Eigen and Kimura are compared and their difference is explained. In terms of Eigen's theory for the evolution of macromolecules, the selection of genotypes occurs directly. The physical meaning of the neutral theory is the degeneracy of the correlation between a phenotype and a genotype at the molecular level. A model theory of evolution on a fitness landscape is proposed. The theory shows that the constraints of selection determined by the structure and dynamics of previous evolution stages increases its rate strongly.
authors.affiliation: Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Livshits
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Volkenstein
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D005838:Genotype; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008954:Models, Biological; D008967:Molecular Biology; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances