Misrepair mechanism: a mechanism essential for individual adaptation, species adaptation and species evolution

Abstract

In Misrepair-accumulation theory, we have proposed a Misrepair mechanism for interpreting aging. However, Misrepair mechanism is also important in biological adaptation. Misrepair is a strategy of repair for increasing the surviving chance of an organism when it suffers from severe injuries. As a surviving strategy, Misrepair mechanism plays also an important role in individual adaptation, species survival, and species differentiation. Firstly, Misrepair of an injury is one of the manners of individual adaptation; and Misrepair mechanism gives an organism a great potential in adapting to changeable and destructive environment. Secondly, Misrepair mechanism is important in maintaining and enlarging the diversity of genome DNAs of a species; and a large diversity of genome DNAs is essential for the adaptation and the differentiation of a species in different environments. On one hand, somatic Misrepairs are essential for maintaining the sufficient number of individuals in a species, which are the vectors of different genome DNAs. On the other hand, Misrepair of DNA is a source of DNA mutations and the DNA Misrepairs in germ cells may contribute to the diversity of genome DNAs in a species. In conclusion, Misrepair mechanism is a mechanism essential for individual adaptation, species adaptation, and species evolution.