Importance of Mutations

According to the theory of evolution, the diversity that we observe around us is fundamentally due to the mutations that occur in the genetic code of the species. This circumstance makes us consider the relevance of this phenomenon, as well as its scope in terms of a coherent explanation of the entire history of living beings that exist. From a theoretical point of view, the possibilities of change in species and their selection based on the environment were raised in the 19th century. XIX, but it is in the XX century where a more complete explanation on this subject was achieved, especially from the advances made in genetics.

The first thing worth noting is that existing species suffer mutations in their genetic code as they reproduce, mutations that occur randomly, that is, haphazardly. Of this mutations, some will be beneficial because they mean a better adaptation To the environment; said mutations, therefore they will tend to remain in force. Thus, individuals who have mutations in their DNA that signify an advantage over others in terms of adaptability, will tend to improve their reproduction rate.

As we can see, the concept of mutation is essential to understand evolutionary theory, a theory that today is the most accepted by the scientific community. The mutations They have therefore made this immense variety of living beings exist together with the environment. Thus, from unicellular organisms we went to multicellular ones and to organisms capable of colonizing the earth, with all the variants observable today. Specialists try to understand how such mutations They were occurring in the different living beings observed (present or extinct) in such a way that the course that life took can be known.

It is worth mentioning, however, that there are some criticisms of evolutionary theory, criticisms that perhaps mutations do not have such an important role in terms of variability in species. These criticisms postulate the importance of symbiogenesis in the process of training of new living beings, a circumstance that makes the existence of mutations stay in the background. This process is accepted by the scientific community in some special case observed in nature, a case in which two different living beings combine their DNA. However, as we have already noted, it is still evolutionary theory that leads the way in terms of acceptance.