arXiv · cond-mat/0108353
Co-Evolution of quasispecies: B-cell mutation rates maximize viral error catastrophes
Abstract
Co-evolution of two coupled quasispecies is studied, motivated by the competition between viral evolution and adapting immune response. In this co-adaptive model, besides the classical error catastrophe for high virus mutation rates, a second ``adaptation-'' catastrophe occurs, when virus mutation rates are too small to escape immune attack. Maximizing both regimes of viral error catastrophes is a possible strategy for an optimal immune response, reducing the range of allowed viral mutation rates to a minimum. From this requirement one obtains constraints on B-cell mutation rates and receptor lengths, yielding an estimate of somatic hypermutation rates in the germinal center in accordance with observation.
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Christel Kamp, Stefan Bornholdt. 2001-08-22. Co-Evolution of quasispecies: B-cell mutation rates maximize viral error catastrophes. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.88.068104
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