Modeling the Dynamics of Negative Mutations for a Mouse Population and the Inverse Problem of Determining Phenotypic Differences in the First Generation

Abstract

This paper considers a model for the accumulation of mutations in a population of mice with a weakened function of polymerases responsible for correcting DNA copying errors during cell division. The model uses the results of the experiment published by Japanese scientists, which contain data on the accumulation of phenotypic differences in three isolated groups of laboratory mice. We have developed a model for the accumulation of negative mutations. Since the accumulation of phenotypic differences in each of the three groups of mice occurred in its own way, we assumed that these differences were associated with genotypic differences in the zeroth generation and set the inverse problem of determining the initial distribution of these differences. Additional information for solving the inverse problem was a set of experimental data on the number of mutant lines and the number of individuals in each group of mice. The results obtained confirmed our assumption.