Error Threshold

Error Threshold

To the tune of “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson

[Chorus]
A virus’ error threshold
Dictates how quickly that virus can evolve
A fine balance between
Mutation and fidelity
Too few mutations
And viruses cannot overcome selection
But too many mistakes
And they cannot replicate

[Verse 1]
Viruses of RNA
Make many mistakes
Lack the ability to proofread
Any errors they make
Their evolution rate
Is highly accelerated

[Pre-Chorus]
And they evolve very close
To their error threshold
The line they toe

[Chorus]
A virus’ error threshold
Dictates how quickly that virus can evolve
A fine balance between
Mutation and fidelity
Too few mutations
And viruses cannot overcome selection
But too many mistakes
And they cannot replicate

[Verse 2]
Viruses of DNA
Have a low mutation rate
Because they can correct errors
And as a result
They will evolve
Much more slowly

[Pre-Chorus]
And much further away
From their error threshold
They take a few steps back

[Chorus
A virus’ error threshold
Dictates how quickly that virus can evolve
A fine balance between
Mutation and fidelity
Too few mutations
And viruses cannot overcome selection
But too many mistakes
And they cannot replicate

[Pre-Chorus]
But mutant viral polymerases
That makes less mistakes
Are selected against

[Chorus]
A virus’ error threshold
Dictates how quickly that virus can evolve
A fine balance between
Mutation and fidelity
Too few mutations
And viruses cannot overcome selection
But too many mistakes
And they cannot replicate