Does parental care affect genetic mutations?

The animal world is indeed amazing. Recently, a study was published confirming that beetles that care for their offspring result in the accumulation of more mutations genetic. The researchers say this variation will enable populations to adapt and evolve more quickly in the face of various circumstances. Learn more about this study below.

Why does parental care interfere with genetic mutations?

First, we have to understand that mutations always occur in cells and that animals always undergo new mutations which their parents did not. Those who inherit harmful ones are likely to be more likely to die without producing.

The average number of mutations will always depend on the strength of evolutionary processes, and will therefore change as that strength also changes.

In theory, the survival of an offspring should be prolonged as the accumulation of mutations is occurring, but as this has yet to be proven, the researchers performed an experiment by burying beetles.

They were placed in regions where there were corpses of mice and birds. A male and female clean the entire corpse and then cover it with antimicrobial fluids to form the carrion nest. The parents stick around to care for their young and feed the larvae regurgitated carrion.

laboratory experiment

The researchers formed two groups of beetles. In the first, the parents were removed after laying the eggs and in the second, they remained.

In the first situation, it was observed that populations evolved more quickly, mainly in order to survive and adapt to parental absence. But for them, mutations are not always beneficial. When they crossed the beetles that had been taken care of by the parents, the population quickly became extinct.

For Katrina McGuigan of the University of Queensland, treatments and parental care do not affect genetic variation differently. However, the researchers who set out to do the experiment said they considered the issues raised by McGuigan.