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Neutral Evolution

  • Chapter
Book cover Evolution of Life

Summary

By “neutral evolution” I mean the process of substitutions of selectively neutral (i. e., selectively equivalent) mutants in the species through random genetic drift under continued mutation pressure. According to the neutral theory of molecular evolution, the great majority of evolutionary changes at the molecular level (such as DNA base substitutions and amino acid replacements) are the result of such neutral evolution, rather than the result of Darwinian adaptive evolution. The neutral theory also claims that most of the genetic variability within species at the molecular level (such as protein and DNA polymorphism) is selectively neutral or very nearly neutral so that the majority of polymorphic alleles are maintained in the species by the balance between mutational input and random extinction, but not by balancing natural selection. The neutral theory is based on simple assumptions, and this enables us to develop mathematical theories based on population genetics to treat these phenomena of evolution and variation in quantitative terms. This permits the theory to be tested against actual observations. In this paper, I review some recent data strongly suggesting neutral evolution, including such topics as pseudoglobin genes of the mouse, αA-crystallin genes of the blind mole rat and genes of RNA viruses. I also discuss some problems of DNA polymorphism in the light of the neutral theory. Finally, I emphasize the importance of population genetics in understanding the mechanisms of molecular evolution. It is concluded that, since the origin of life on Earth, the great majority of evolutionary changes have been neutral rather than Darwinian.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, 411, Japan

    Motoo Kimura

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  1. Motoo Kimura
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464, Japan

    Syozo Osawa Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

  2. Department of Medical Chemistry, Kyoto University, Yoshidakonoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606, Japan

    Tasuku Honjo M.D., Ph.D. (Professor) (Professor)

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Tokyo

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Kimura, M. (1991). Neutral Evolution. In: Osawa, S., Honjo, T. (eds) Evolution of Life. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68302-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68302-5_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-68304-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-68302-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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