Solution of the Crow-Kimura and Eigen models for alphabets of arbitrary size by Schwinger spin coherent states (Q2390955)

There are two main models of molecular evolution which are the Eigen model on the on hand and the Crow-Kimura model on the other hand,. Here one considers more especially the first one, and it is shown that it can be expressed by means of a functional integral representation with and h-letter alphabet. The framework used by the author is the quantum spin chain approach by the way of which one can drop the two-state purine/pyrimidine assumption which is almost made in this kind of problem. An expression for the mean fitness is derived and it is used to analyze some microscopic fitness functions such as the sharp peak landscape, the Fujiyama landscape, the quadratic fitness landscape, and the quartic fitness landscape. One considers also a generalization of the Eigen model for arbitrary alphabet size and it general solution is obtained.