Berlin 2005 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

AKB: Biologische Physik

AKB 20: Systems Biology and Bioinformatics

AKB 20.4: Talk

Friday, March 4, 2005, 15:15–15:30, TU H2013

Dynamics of Multi-Allele Evolution on a Fitness Landscape — •Julia Schwartz and Ulrich Gerland — Department für Physik, LMU München

The evolution of a populations genotype can be represented by the motion of a cluster through sequence space. The Wright-Fisher model is a widely accepted way to describe its dynamics. It includes mutation, selection, and random genetic drift due to the finite population size. However, simulations based on this model are not feasable for large populations or high mutation rate due to the enormous number of mutations, most of which are quickly lost from the population. We have developed a method to approximate the dynamics of the Wright-Fisher model, so that simulations in these regimes become possible. The method is based on a combination of the continuum approximation with a heuristic truncation scheme for the cluster dynamics. The latter incorporates an adjustable parameter which controls the tradeoff between accuracy and computational effort.