Abstract:
The different evolutionary theories of senescence predict different directions for the correlation between the population size and the intensity of senescence. Using simulations, I highlighted how the effect of the population size on the intensity of senescence could be reinforced by the time since populations have been large or small. I devised a mutation-selection model in which the effect of the mutations was age-specific. Several small populations diverged from a same large population at different points in time. At the end of the simulation, the correlation between the time since the populations had been small and the rate of senescence was positive under the mutation accumulation theory and negative under the antagonistic pleiotropy theory. The phenomenon was strong enough to reverse the usually negative relationship between the intensity of senescence and the generation time. These mutually-exclusive predictions could help broaden the taxonomic support for the mutation accumulation theory of senescence, currently mostly supported in humans and lab invertebrates. I briefly mention a few potential applications in real-life systems.
摘要:
衰老的不同进化理论预测了种群规模与衰老强度之间的相关性的不同方向。使用模拟,我强调了人口规模对衰老强度的影响如何随着人口规模的扩大而增强。我设计了一个突变选择模型,其中突变的影响是年龄特异性的。几个小种群在不同的时间点与同一大种群不同。在模拟结束时,在突变积累理论下,种群小的时间与衰老速率之间的相关性为正,在拮抗多效性理论下为负。这种现象足够强烈,可以逆转衰老强度与世代时间之间通常呈负相关的关系。这些相互排斥的预测可以帮助扩大衰老突变积累理论的分类支持,目前主要支持人类和实验室无脊椎动物。我简要提到了现实生活中系统中的一些潜在应用。