Evolutionary biology

The optimum-seeking mecharusm of a GA is analogous to the biological evolutionary process. The GA operates on a population of chromosomes (also called individuals). Each chromosome represents a feasible solution to the problem investigated. Different representations have been developed to represent... 

GAs or other methods from evolutionary computation are applied in various fields of chemistry Its tasks include the geometry optimization of conformations of small molecules, the elaboration of models for the prediction of properties or biological activities, the design of molecules de novo, the analysis of the interaction of proteins and their ligands, or the selection of descriptors [18]. The last application is explained briefly in Section 9.7.6. 

GeUiaar D K, G M Verkhivker, P A Rejto, C J Sherman, D B Fogel, L J Fogel and S T Freer 1995 Molecular Recognition of the Inhibitor AG-1343 by HFV-l Protease Conformationally FlexibL Docking by Evolutionary Programming. Chemistry and Biology 2 317-324. 

In terms of evolutionary biology, the complex mitotic process of higher animals and plants has evolved through a progression of steps from simple prokaryotic fission sequences. In prokaryotic cells, the two copies of replicated chromosomes become attached to specialized regions of the cell membrane and are separated by the slow intrusion of the membrane between them. In many primitive eukaryotes, the nuclear membrane participates in a similar process and remains intact the spindle microtubules are extranuclear but may indent the nuclear membrane to form parallel channels. In yeasts and diatoms, the nuclear membrane also remains intact, an intranuclear polar spindle forms and attaches at each pole to the nuclear envelope, and a single kinetochore microtubule moves each chromosome to a pole. In the cells of higher animals and plants, the mitotic spindle starts to form outside of the nucleus, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the spindle microtubules are captured by chromosomes (Kubai, 1975 Heath, 1980 Alberts et al., 1989). 

Grime, J.P. (1988). The C-S-R model of primary plant strategies - origins, implications and tests. In Plant Evolutionary Biology, ed. L.D. Gottlieb and K. Jain, pp. 371-93. London Chapman Hall. 

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