Please explain (in your own words) the difference between the mutation accumulation hypothesis and the antagonistic pleiotrophy hypothesis. Solution Mutation accumulation hypothesis: The mutation accumulation hypothesis was proposed by Peter Medawar in 1952. Explanation: Mutations can affect fitness either directly or indirectly. Medawar utilizes this to explain the aging theory. He proposed that aging was caused by accumulations of random mutations. This mechanism involves random, detrimental germline mutations that show their effect only late in life. As this mutation will have already passed to their offspring by that age these would not be efficiently weeded out by natural selection. Hence, over successive generations these late-acting deleterious mutations will accumulate, leading to an increase in mortality rates late in life. In a nutshell he suggests that the evolutionary effect of adverse events declines following the age at which an organism is initially capable of reproduction. Antagonistic pleiotrophy hypothesis: The antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis was first proposed by George C. Williams in 1957. Explanation: In generally we know that pleiotropy is the phenomenon where one gene controls for more than one phenotypic trait in an organism. But antagonistic pleiotropy is when one gene controls for more than one trait where at least one of these traits is beneficial to the organism\'s fitness and at least one is detrimental to the organism\'s fitness. On the basis of above fact Williams proposed that aging was caused by the combined effect of many pleiotropic genes that each had a beneficial effect in youth stage of an animal but also had an adverse side effect in older age. Conclusion: The main difference between these two above theories is that:-.

1. Please explain (in your own words) the difference between the mutation accumulation hypothesis
and the antagonistic pleiotrophy hypothesis.
Solution
Mutation accumulation hypothesis:
The mutation accumulation hypothesis was proposed by Peter Medawar in 1952.
Explanation:
Mutations can affect fitness either directly or indirectly.
Medawar utilizes this to explain the aging theory. He proposed that aging was caused by
accumulations of random mutations. This mechanism involves random, detrimental germline
mutations that show their effect only late in life. As this mutation will have already passed to
their offspring by that age these would not be efficiently weeded out by natural selection. Hence,
over successive generations these late-acting deleterious mutations will accumulate, leading to an
increase in mortality rates late in life.
In a nutshell he suggests that the evolutionary effect of adverse events declines following the age
at which an organism is initially capable of reproduction.
Antagonistic pleiotrophy hypothesis:
The antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis was first proposed by George C. Williams in 1957.
Explanation:
In generally we know that pleiotropy is the phenomenon where one gene controls for more than
one phenotypic trait in an organism. But antagonistic pleiotropy is when one gene controls for
more than one trait where at least one of these traits is beneficial to the organism's fitness and at
least one is detrimental to the organism's fitness.
On the basis of above fact Williams proposed that aging was caused by the combined effect of
many pleiotropic genes that each had a beneficial effect in youth stage of an animal but also had
an adverse side effect in older age.
Conclusion:
The main difference between these two above theories is that:-