Answer to Question #136902 in Zoology for Saif uddin

Question

Mutation theory was proposed by -------in 1901

Answer 1

Mutation Theory

A Dutch botanist by the name Hugo de Vries the one who put forward his views in regards to the formation of the new species in the year 1901. He was as well responsible for discovering and meeting some objections in Darwin's theory of mutation. In his research, new species did not arise as a result of continuous variations but as a result of quick appearance or change of variations which he named mutations. Additionally, his research suggested that mutations can be passed from parents to offsprings and therefore can be persistent in successive generations.

In an experiment conducted by the researcher on the evening prime rose plant, it was found that these plants were of exceptional types. When O.Lamarkian (one type of these plants)Was self-pollinated, and its seeds allowed to grow, most of the F1 plants were similar to the parents but some few differed from the parent plants. The few different species that arose from the first generation were again germinated and still, there were many which resembled the parent plants, and few displayed different characteristics and this went on to the next generations continuously. After this experiment, Hugo de Vries suggested that new types of inherited characteristics can arise suddenly without the indication of the appearances in previous generations Pearson, C. E., et al, (2005). Repeat instability: Mechanisms of dynamic mutations. Nature Reviews Genetics.

Hugo de Vries, therefore, believed that mutation was the cause of the evolution and not the small heritable characteristics as indicated by Charles Darwin. The mutation was random and did not come in a specific direction in regards to Hugo but Darwin's theory stated that mutations are gradual. In regards to these experiments, Hugo d Vries put forward an evolution theory which he called mutation theory Hugo d Vries (1901).

References

Kimchi-Sarfaty, C., et al. (2006) "Silent" polymorphism in the MDR1 gene changes substrate specificity. Science 

Pearson, C. E., et al (2005). Repeat instability: Mechanisms of dynamic mutations. Nature Reviews Genetics 6, 729–742 

Twyman, R (2003). Mutation or polymorphism? Welcome Trust website, https://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD020780.html