Evolvability, Population Benefit, and the Evolution of Programmed Aging in Mammals

Biochemistry. Biokhimii︠a︡
T C Goldsmith

Abstract

Programmed aging theories contend that evolved biological mechanisms purposely limit internally determined lifespans in mammals and are ultimately responsible for most instances of highly age-related diseases and conditions. Until recently, the existence of programmed aging mechanisms was considered theoretically impossible because it directly conflicted with Darwin's survival-of-the-fittest evolutionary mechanics concept as widely taught and generally understood. However, subsequent discoveries, especially in genetics, have exposed issues with some details of Darwin's theory that affect the mechanics of the evolution process and strongly suggest that programmed aging mechanisms in humans and other mammals can and did evolve, and more generally, that a trait that benefits a population can evolve even if, like senescence, it is adverse to individual members of the population. Evolvability theories contend that organisms can possess evolved design characteristics (traits) that affect their ability to evolve, and further, that a trait that increases a population's ability to evolve (increases evolvability) can be acquired and retained even if it is adverse in traditional individual fitness terms. Programmed aging theories based on...Continue Reading

References

Sep 21, 1979·Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character·T B Kirkwood, R Holliday
May 28, 2002·Scientific American·S Jay OlshanskyBruce A Carnes
Jul 1, 1956·Journal of Gerontology·D HARMAN
Apr 9, 2004·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Justin M J Travis
Oct 1, 2011·Current Biology : CB·Thomas B L Kirkwood, Simon Melov
Nov 16, 2013·Biochemistry. Biokhimii︠a︡·T C Goldsmith
Jun 1, 1996·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Peter J Wagner

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Citations

Oct 30, 2019·Current Aging Science·Alexander G Trubitsyn
Jan 30, 2020·Current Drug Targets·Usha K RoutGaurav R Dwivedi
Dec 25, 2019·Biochemistry. Biokhimii︠a︡·T C Goldsmith

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