Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

34.1K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
34.1K
Mutations01:39

Mutations

94.4K
Overview
94.4K
Mutations01:35

Mutations

44.0K
Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
44.0K
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

39.8K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
39.8K
Limiting Reactant02:27

Limiting Reactant

69.5K
The relative amounts of reactants and products represented in a balanced chemical equation are often referred to as stoichiometric amounts. However, in reality, the reactants are not always present in the stoichiometric amounts indicated by the balanced equation.
69.5K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

126.2K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
126.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genetic diversity of late Neanderthals in northwestern Europe.

Nature·2026
Same author

Immune surveillance and microbial escape in the aging host: Why does the microbiome lose its balance?

PLoS biology·2026
Same author

Adaptive introgression and incompatibility shape interspecific hybrid genomes in ornamental and feral Xiphophorus strains.

The Journal of heredity·2026
Same author

Toward actionable interventions in human aging (12th ARDD meeting, 2025).

Aging·2026
Same author

The ecological and developmental foundations of brood parasitism in a catfish.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Sexual selection and reproductive success in mesocosm populations of African annual killifish.

Journal of fish biology·2026
Same journal

A viral ORFeome library for systems-level genetic dissection of host-pathogen interactions.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Co-option of lysosomal machinery shapes the evolution of the intracellular photosymbiosis supporting coral reefs.

Cell·2026
Same journal

LEF1 and niche factors determine T cell stemness across chronic diseases.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Recurrent patterns of TOP1-mediated neuronal genomic damage shared by major neurodegenerative disorders.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Four-dimensional molecular mapping from a spatial snapshot reveals the dynamics of hair follicle organogenesis.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Whole-cell particle-based digital twin simulations from 4D lattice light-sheet microscopy data.

Cell·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

The Lambda Select cII Mutation Detection System
07:08

The Lambda Select cII Mutation Detection System

Published on: April 26, 2018

8.3K

Relaxed Selection Limits Lifespan by Increasing Mutation Load.

Rongfeng Cui1, Tania Medeiros1, David Willemsen1

  • 1Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany.

Cell
|July 2, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Relaxed purifying selection drives genome evolution and lifespan changes in African killifish, impacting genes related to aging and disease. This genetic drift shapes adaptations to harsh environments.

Keywords:
agingdistribution of fitness effectsgenome evolutionhuman geneticskillifisheslife historylifespanmitochondrial dysfunctionmutation rateneutral evolution

More Related Videos

Characterizing Mutational Load and Clonal Composition of Human Blood
07:58

Characterizing Mutational Load and Clonal Composition of Human Blood

Published on: July 11, 2019

7.8K
Author Spotlight: Automated Lifespan Monitoring – Discovering Aging Dynamics with the Lifespan Machine
08:53

Author Spotlight: Automated Lifespan Monitoring – Discovering Aging Dynamics with the Lifespan Machine

Published on: January 26, 2024

1.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 22, 2026

The Lambda Select cII Mutation Detection System
07:08

The Lambda Select cII Mutation Detection System

Published on: April 26, 2018

8.3K
Characterizing Mutational Load and Clonal Composition of Human Blood
07:58

Characterizing Mutational Load and Clonal Composition of Human Blood

Published on: July 11, 2019

7.8K
Author Spotlight: Automated Lifespan Monitoring – Discovering Aging Dynamics with the Lifespan Machine
08:53

Author Spotlight: Automated Lifespan Monitoring – Discovering Aging Dynamics with the Lifespan Machine

Published on: January 26, 2024

1.6K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Life-history traits evolve under various selective pressures.
  • Adaptations to environmental challenges like seasonal desiccation are key evolutionary drivers.
  • Understanding genomic underpinnings of these adaptations is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the genomic basis of adaptation to seasonal habitat desiccation in African killifish.
  • Identify genetic variants associated with positive and relaxed purifying selection.
  • Explore the role of relaxed selection in shaping genomes and life-history traits.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed genomes of 45 African killifish species and 231 wild individuals.
  • Identified genetic variants under positive and relaxed purifying selection.
  • Examined key life-history modulating genes (mtor, insr, ampk, foxo3, polg).

Main Results:

  • Genetic drift led to genome expansion and accumulation of deleterious variants in annual killifish.
  • Relaxed purifying selection is linked to mitochondrial function and aging.
  • Relaxed selection significantly shapes genomes and influences lifespan evolution.

Conclusions:

  • Relaxed purifying selection is a major force in killifish genome evolution and lifespan.
  • This process may contribute to the distribution of genetic variants associated with late-onset diseases.
  • Findings have implications for understanding aging and disease across species.