Empirical fitness landscapes reveal accessible evolutionary paths.
When attempting to understand evolution, we traditionally rely on analysing evolutionary outcomes, despite the fact that unseen intermediates determine its course. A handful of recent studies has begun to explore these intermediate evolutionary forms, which can be reconstructed in the laboratory. With this first view on empirical evolutionary landscapes, we can now finally start asking why particular evolutionary paths are taken.
Poelwijk
Frank J
FJ
FOM Institute AMOLF, Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Kiviet
Daniel J
DJ
Weinreich
Daniel M
DM
Tans
Sander J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D008958:Models, Molecular; D016296:Mutagenesis; D012641:Selection, Genetic