title: The advantage of arriving first: characteristic times in finite size populations of error-prone replicators.
abstract: We study the evolution of a finite size population formed by mutationally isolated lineages of error-prone replicators in a two-peak fitness landscape. Computer simulations are performed to gain a stochastic description of the system dynamics. More specifically, for different population sizes, we compute the probability of each lineage being selected in terms of their mutation rates and the amplification factors of the fittest phenotypes. We interpret the results as the compromise between the characteristic time a lineage takes to reach its fittest phenotype by crossing the neutral valley and the selective value of the sequences that form the lineages. A main conclusion is drawn: for finite population sizes, the survival probability of the lineage that arrives first to the fittest phenotype rises significantly.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tejero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Matemática Aplicada a los Recursos Naturales, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Nuño
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montero
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D005838:Genotype; D008957:Models, Genetic; D059645:Mutation Rate; D010641:Phenotype; D011156:Population Density; D011336:Probability; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics*