Question

Mutation rates are expected to evolve to the minimal achievable level, because

a. mutation has favored inefficient repair enzymes.
b. the repair system is as efficient as it can be.
c. natural selection eliminates alleles that increase mutation rate, as most mutations are deleterious and recombination decouples them from beneficial mutants.
d. mutations are not adaptations.
e. populations experience deleterious mutations.

Answer 1

Option (c), Mutation rates tend to be minimized in populations because natural selection favors the elimination of deleterious mutations and allows beneficial mutations to spread, thus playing a significant role in evolution.

Step-by-step explanation:

Mutation rates are expected to evolve to the minimal achievable level because natural selection eliminates alleles that increase the mutation rate, since most mutations are deleterious and recombination decouples them from beneficial mutants.

Mutations are the ultimate source of genetic variation in populations, contributing to evolution. However, the majority of mutations have negative effects and are removed from the population through natural selection. Nonetheless, beneficial mutations, which are less frequent, can spread through the population and contribute to its adaptation and evolution.

The process by which mutation rates evolve is influenced by factors including the efficiency of DNA repair mechanisms. However, it is mainly the result of selection against harmful mutations, as they tend to decrease an organism's chances of survival and reproduction.