Introduction
Evolutionary genetics deals with mechanisms that explain the presence and maintenance of traits responsible for genetic variations. With all factors constant, it would be expected that selection would eventually exhaust genetic variation on traits that are related to fitness. Nonetheless, such gene variation is universal and triggers steady specific variances that have prominent roles in psychological theories, including traits such as intelligence, agreeableness, and attachment security. Evolutionary genetics offer pathways to many disciplines, including medicine and evolutionary psychology, to help unearth clues behind certain medical conditions or behavior. This paper focuses on evolutionary genetics topics of mutation, natural selection, gene flow, and gene drift describing how they function.
Mutation
Mutation is the first force of evolution: it is the novel source of all variation that each living thing has (Witzany). The DNA in our cells differs from the original in the tiny fertilized egg. Chemical fluctuations in nucleotides are responsible for mutations in our body cells. Skin mutations are commonly caused by exposure to sunlight’s UV radiation. When skin cells interact with UV light, this causes UV crosslinking, resulting in the binding of adjacent thymine bases. DNA repair mechanism often detects and corrects many of these mutations. However, specific individuals may have xeroderma pigmentosum, an autosomal recessive disease causing the repair mechanisms to malfunction (Witzany). This results in various problems, particularly exposure to the sun, such as dry skin, sunburns, and pigment changes.
Genetic Drift
Generic drift is evolution’s second force, defined as a random change in allele frequency from one generation to another. Genes remain unchanged in a population: instead, only the gene’s alleles change in frequency. It happens when there are none of differing alleles that confer an advantage. Several generations have passed since primordial cells, and a mutation sequence has formed a sexually reproducing population. Cells among this population undergo meiosis: a different cell division round to develop haploid gametes. A new diploid offspring is produced when two gametes combine, each with half a set of homologous chromosomes. In sexually producing organisms, each parent offers a cell one allele, creating a homozygous cell comprising two smooth alleles, a heterozygous cell comprising one of every allele, and a homozygous cell containing two ruffle alleles (Chevalier et al.). If the new riffle allele is dominant, the heterozygous will comprise cell phenotypes that are ruffled but possess a 50:50 chance.
Gene Flow
Gene flow is evolution’s third force: it is a misnomer as it doesn’t refer to genes but flowing alleles. It denotes an allele’s movement from one population to another. Generally, geneflow can be considered identical to the exodus amongst populations (Witzany). Often gene flow is gender biased and limited to particular lifecycle phases, specific climatic conditions can accelerate it, and it can happen at irregular intervals or incidences of several years.
Natural Selection
Natural selection is evolution’s final force. Charles Darwin brought it about in the evolutionary theory. It happens when specific phenotypes confer a reproductive or survival advantage or disadvantage. The alleles linked with those phenotypes fluctuate in frequency with time due to selective pressure. An allele that is advantaged can fluctuate with time and environmental changes, and an allele that was previously benign be detrimental or advantageous.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the evolutionary concept is of specific importance, particularly in the modern world. It helps develop antibiotics that can keep up with the fast mutating rates of viruses and bacteria. It is also essential to our food supply, which is hugely reliant on pesticides and germicides development that can adapt to weeds and pest mutation rates. Through evolutionary genetics, industries have been able to keep the human species ahead of the next mutation of infectious diseases and pests that may be harmful to the survival of humans.
Works Cited
Chevalier, Louise, et al. “A Demogenetic Individual Based Model for the Evolution of Traits and Genome Architecture under Sexual Selection.” HAL Open Science, 2021, Web.
Witzany, Guenther. “Evolution of Genetic Information Without Error Replication.” Theoretical Information Studies, 2020, Web.