Citation
Evolutionary Rate at the Molecular Level
TL;DR
Most mutations at molecular level are selectively neutral
The landmark paper introducing the neutral theory of molecular evolution. Kimura argued that most mutations at the molecular level are selectively neutral and that genetic drift, not natural selection, is the primary driver of molecular evolution.
This insight explains why different organizations can succeed with very different approaches - most organizational variations may be effectively neutral, with their persistence depending on random sampling rather than merit.
Key Findings from Kimura (1968)
- Most mutations at molecular level are selectively neutral
- Genetic drift is primary driver of molecular evolution
- Molecular clock explained by constant neutral mutation rate