Di Giulio M, Caldararo F
International Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, C.N.R., Napoli, Italy.
J Theor Biol. 1987 Feb 21;124(4):485-94. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5193(87)80222-9.
The formalism of absorbent Markov chains, previously developed by Kemeny & Snell (1960) is used as a model for the study of the evolution of proteins. Within the limits of statistical analysis used, the amino acid substitution frequencies of McLachlan (1972) are explained by the numerical values derived from the model used. In addition, the amino acid composition of proteins is partially explained and the relative mutability of amino acids receives a new interpretation in the light of the above mentioned stochastic model. The results show that some basic aspect of protein evolution can be predicted by a stochastic model and therefore a significant component of protein evolution is driven by a random element.
