Resolving the evolutionary paradox of genetic instability: a cost–benefit analysis of DNA repair in changing environments

Loss of genetic stability is a critical phenomenon in cancer and antibiotic resistance, and the prevailing dogma is that unstable cells survive because instability provides adaptive mutations. Challenging this view, we have argued that genetic instability arises because DNA repair may be a counterpr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEBS letters 2004-04, Vol.563 (1), p.7-12
Main Authors: Breivik, Jarle, Gaudernack, Gustav
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Automatic Data Processing
Cost-Benefit Analysis
DNA Damage
DNA Repair
Environment
Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic instability
Genomic Instability
Humans
Information processing
Mathematics
Models, Genetic
Mutagen
Mutation
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Loss of genetic stability is a critical phenomenon in cancer and antibiotic resistance, and the prevailing dogma is that unstable cells survive because instability provides adaptive mutations. Challenging this view, we have argued that genetic instability arises because DNA repair may be a counterproductive strategy in mutagenic environments. This paradoxical relationship has also been confirmed by explicit experiments, but the underlying evolutionary principles remain controversial. This paper aims to clarify the issue, and presents a model that explains genetic instability from the basic perspective of molecular evolution and information processing.
ISSN:0014-5793
1873-3468
DOI:10.1016/S0014-5793(04)00282-0