Stability analysis of a stochastic model for biomolecular selection

The technique of the probability generating function is used to derive the stochastic differential equations for a nonlinear model based on Eigen and Schuster's theory of biomolecular selection and evolution. The stabilities of various steady states are analyzed by using the linear stability approximation. The instability of a small starting population is investigated numerically. The minimum starting populations required for steady-state survival are then estimated for a wide range of parameters.