Clonal interference and the evolution of RNA viruses

In asexual populations, beneficial mutations that occur in different lineag es compete with one another. This phenomenon, known as clonal interference, ensures that those beneficial mutations that do achieve fixation are of La rge effect. Clonal interference also increases the time between fixations, thereby stowing the adaptation of asexual populations. The effects of clona l interference were measured in the asexual RNA virus vesicular stomatitis virus; rates and average effects of beneficial mutations were quantified.