Kimura M
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1986 Jan 29;312(1154):343-54. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1986.0012.
The neutral theory claims that the great majority of evolutionary changes at the molecular (DNA) level are caused not by Darwinian selection but by random fixation of selectively neutral or nearly neutral mutants. The theory also asserts that the majority of protein and DNA polymorphisms are selectively neutral and that they are maintained in the species by mutational input balanced by random extinction. In conjunction with diffusion models (the stochastic theory) of gene frequencies in finite populations, it treats these phenomena in quantitative terms based on actual observations. Although the theory has been strongly criticized by the 'selectionists', supporting evidence has accumulated over the years. Particularly, the recent outburst of DNA sequence data lends strong support to the theory both with respect to evolutionary base substitutions and DNA polymorphism, including rapid evolutionary base substitutions in pseudogenes. In addition, the observed pattern of synonymous codon choice can now be readily explained in the framework of this theory. I review these recent findings in the light of the neutral theory.
中性理论认为，在分子（DNA）水平上，绝大多数进化变化并非由达尔文选择引起，而是由选择性中性或近中性突变的随机固定造成的。该理论还断言，大多数蛋白质和DNA多态性是选择性中性的，并且它们在物种中通过随机灭绝所平衡的突变输入得以维持。结合有限种群中基因频率的扩散模型（随机理论），它基于实际观察对这些现象进行定量处理。尽管该理论遭到了“选择论者”的强烈批评，但多年来支持性证据不断积累。特别是，最近大量涌现的DNA序列数据在进化碱基替换和DNA多态性方面，包括假基因中的快速进化碱基替换，都为该理论提供了有力支持。此外，现在可以在该理论框架内轻松解释所观察到的同义密码子选择模式。我根据中性理论对这些最新发现进行了综述。
