Noun
(taxonomy) A group of organisms once (but no longer) thought to be a separate species (and sometimes given such a name)
(genetics) A group of similar nucleic acid molecules; a group of viruses having such similar genomes
Source: en.wiktionary.orgAssuming that the matrix W is a primitive matrix ( irreducible and aperiodic ), then after very many generations only the eigenvector with the largest eigenvalue will prevail, and it is this quasispecies that will eventually dominate. Source: Internet
However, the quasispecies model does not predict the ultimate extinction of all but the fastest replicating sequence. Source: Internet
Due to the ongoing production of mutant sequences, selection does not act on single sequences, but on mutational "clouds" of closely related sequences, referred to as quasispecies. Source: Internet
Mathematical description A simple mathematical model for a quasispecies is as follows: let there be possible sequences and let there be organisms with sequence i. Let's say that each of these organisms asexually gives rise to offspring. Source: Internet
Put simply, a quasispecies is a large group or cloud of related genotypes that exist in an environment of high mutation rate, where a large fraction of offspring are expected to contain one or more mutations relative to the parent. Source: Internet
The above equations for the quasispecies then become for the discrete version: : or, for the continuum version: : Simple example The quasispecies concept can be illustrated by a simple system consisting of 4 sequences. Source: Internet