Constraint and Contingency Pervade the Emergence of Novel Phenotypes in Complex Metabolic Systems

An evolutionary constraint is a bias or limitation in phenotypic variation that a biological system produces. We know examples of such constraints, but we have no systematic understanding about their extent and causes for any one biological system. We here study metabolisms, genomically encoded complex networks of enzyme-catalyzed biochemical reactions, and the constraints they experience in bringing forth novel phenotypes that allow survival on novel carbon sources. Our computational approach does not limit us to analyzing constrained variation in any one organism, but allows us to quantify constraints experienced by any metabolism.

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