The case for large-size mutations.

Abstract

There are no laws of physics or chemistry that forbid large mutations. Therefore, the "size" of a random mutation should fit the mathematics of a Poisson point process: The number of mutations (N), versus mutation size (MS), should obey an exponential relationship. Three examples are examined: A simple 15-mutation sequence; actual experimental data involving a sequence of 56,611 random action potentials (rather than mutations); and a synthetic sequence of 65,535 random mutations. In the latter example, with an average MS of 2.22 units, the largest MS is a 25-unit giant that would be associated with major changes.