title: Periodic versus intermittent adaptive cycles in quasispecies coevolution.
abstract: We study an abstract model for the coevolution between mutating viruses and the adaptive immune system. In sequence space, these two populations are localized around transiently dominant strains. Delocalization or error thresholds exhibit a novel interdependence because immune response is conditional on the viral attack. An evolutionary chase is induced by stochastic fluctuations and can occur via periodic or intermittent cycles. Using simulations and stochastic analysis, we show how the transition between these two dynamic regimes depends on mutation rate, immune response, and population size.
authors.affiliation: Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center für Theoretische Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seeholzer
authors.affiliation: Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center für Theoretische Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center für Theoretische Physik and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Obermayer
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005838:Genotype; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D018448:Models, Immunological; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology