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The evolution of programmed death in a spatially structured population.

Justin M J Travis1

  • 1Centre for Conservation Science, University of St. Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom. jmjt@ceh.ac.uk

The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
|April 9, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Evolutionary theory struggles to explain genes that extend lifespan without harm. A spatial model reveals that programmed death evolves in structured populations, suggesting death can be adaptive and explaining "death genes".

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Theoretical ecology

Background:

  • Recent discoveries show genes regulating lifespan can be inactivated, leading to longer-lived organisms without apparent negative effects.
  • These findings challenge current evolutionary theories, creating a debate due to the lack of a clear evolutionary explanation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary basis of programmed death using an individual-based spatial model.
  • To explore how population structure and dispersal influence the evolution of lifespan and programmed aging.

Main Methods:

  • Development of an individual-based spatial model to simulate evolution.
  • Incorporation of programmed age of death as an evolvable trait.
  • Analysis of outcomes under different population structures (freely mixing vs. spatially structured) and dispersal scales (global vs. localized).

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Main Results:

  • In freely mixing populations with global dispersal, evolution favors indefinitely increasing lifespan.
  • In spatially structured populations with localized dispersal, a programmed age of death evolves.
  • The specific age of death is critically dependent on the scale of dispersal within the model.

Conclusions:

  • Programmed death can be an adaptive evolutionary strategy, even when organisms are still capable of reproduction.
  • The spatial structure of populations plays a crucial role in the evolution of aging and lifespan.
  • The model provides a potential explanation for the existence and evolution of genes that program death, often termed "death genes".