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Of Evolution, Systems and Complexity

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Evolutionary Systems Biology

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Abstract

The question of complexity in biological systems is recurrent in evolutionary biology and is central in complex systems science for obvious reasons. But this question is surprisingly overlooked by evolutionary systems biology. This comes unexpected given the roots of systems biology in complex systems science but also given that a proper understanding of the origin and evolution of complexity would provide clues for a better understanding of extant biological systems. In this chapter, we will explore the links between evolutionary systems biology and biological systems complexity, in terms of concepts, tools and results. In particular, we will show how complex models can be used to explore this question and show that complexity can spontaneously accumulate even in simple conditions owing to a “complexity ratchet” fuelled by sign epistasis.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    “[…] if we know of a long series of gradations in complexity, each good for its possessor, then, under changing conditions of life, there is no logical impossibility in the acquirement of any conceivable degree of perfection through natural selection” (Darwin, 1859, page 204, Chap. VI).

  2. 2.

    In Aevol, robustness and evolvability are estimated by Monte Carlo sampling. 10,000,000 offspring of a given individual are generated. Robustness is estimated by the fraction of neutral offspring, and evolvability is estimated by the mathematical expectation of fitness improvement on the forthcoming generation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université de Lyon, INSA-Lyon, LIRIS CNRS UMR 5205, INRIA Beagle Team, Villeurbanne, France

    Guillaume Beslon, Vincent Liard, David P. Parsons & Jonathan Rouzaud-Cornabas

Authors
  1. Guillaume Beslon
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  2. Vincent Liard
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  3. David P. Parsons
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  4. Jonathan Rouzaud-Cornabas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guillaume Beslon .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inria Lyon Antenne La Doua, Villeurbanne, France

    Anton Crombach

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Beslon, G., Liard, V., Parsons, D.P., Rouzaud-Cornabas, J. (2021). Of Evolution, Systems and Complexity. In: Crombach, A. (eds) Evolutionary Systems Biology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71737-7_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71737-7_1

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