Figure 4

Two-dimensional representation of hyperdimensional RNA (or corresponding protein) frequency distribution curve (scale arbitrary) with conceptual centre of gravity of replication (wild type, green) and variant sequences (blue), zone of reagent specificity (red shading) and threshold of detection (TOD) of any assay. As mutations ( , ) accumulate and RNA sequence progressively diverges from consensus sequence (0) the probability of that RNA sequence and corresponding protein (e.g. envelope, Env.) arising falls rapidly. Standard deviation (σ) of frequency distribution is proportional to RNA_pol fidelity.