Evolution at Molecular Resolution

A new concept of evolution extends conventional population genetics in two aspects: (i) the notion of sequence space which is required to describe migration of populations through adaptive walks and random drift, and (ii) genotype-phenotype relations expressed in the case of test-tube evolution by the mapping of RNA sequences into structures. This concept, so far, has been developed for molecular evolution of RNA. RNA structures are commonly simplified as secondary structures. First attempts to describe the course of evolutionary optimization of tRNA structures from random sequences in full molecular detail were successful.

These previous studies will be supplemented and extended by (i) the statistical analysis of computer simulation experiments on RNA optimization, (ii) the development of an analytical stochastic model of the evolutionary process, (iiI) the development of a "statistical topology" that allows to define nearness and attainability of phenotypes within an evolutionary context, and (iv) extensions of three-dimensional structures of RNA as well as proteins.

Particular attention will be given to applications of the current concept of evolutionary dynamics to the design of biomolecules with new properties. Examples are the development of efficient protocolls in evolutionary biotechnology together with experimental groups.