The organization of gene circuit genotype space favors plasticity-mediated adaptive evolution. Shapes and colors have the same meanings in the diagram as in Figure 1. Starting from the blue genotype network, it is easier to find a genotype that produces a red alternative phenotype than finding the red genotype network. Many genotypes that produce the red alternative phenotype have direct mutational access to the red genotype network. Such genotypes are neighbors of other genotypes that produce the same alternative phenotype. Among genotypes that produce the red alternative phenotype, a high penetrance is associated to easier access to the red genotype network.
Espinosa-Soto et al. BMC Evolutionary Biology 2011 11:5 doi:10.1186/1471-2148-11-5