DNA repair can identify and correct damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. Then what does our genetic system do when a bad mutation happens? Since mutation can't be fixed, is it possible that a second mutation could reverse the harmful effect?
I was reading a paper which showed that if a deleterious mutation followed a beneficial mutation then the epistasis between these two mutations were mostly protective.
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/279/1727/247.full
Anyone know if there's any other studies which have made similar claims?
Here is an article that highlights this phenomenon.
http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v17/n4/full/nm0411-405.html
This one discusses the genetic compensation you were proposing.
http://www.wormbook.org/chapters/www_geneticenhancers/geneticenhancers.html
However, if mutations happens to single cells in a multicellular organism, they are often culled by the immune system. So in that way our genetic system doesn't adapt, it simply works to keep things the same to avoid the deleterious effects.
I would also be quite interested to hear others talk about this from an epigenetic point of view. Are epigenetic markers used to silence deleterious mutations? What is the mechanism?
Hi Mitchell, thank you for your input. I read the nature paper you mentioned and it seems the reversal mutations took place on the same gene, not sure if it's also at same location. Is it possible genes far away (maybe on same pathway) from the deleterious mutated gene also can reverse the harmful effects?
We're using computational approach to study genetic interactions and it's surprising that we found more beneficial epistasis than deleterious ones. I'm very curious if this can be supported by any current studies.
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