Question

Harmful mutation does not get eliminated from gene pool because

Answer 1

Certain harmful mutations do not get eliminated from the ‘gene pool’ because of various reasons:

i) They are probably recessive and carried in a heterozygous state and hence cannot be detected by selection.  

ii) The mutation might arise as a frequent genetic alteration in the population and cannot be detected by selection.

iii) They get maintained by gene flow in the population.

iv) Although harmful, these mutations might not contribute to reducing the fitness.

v) Probably selection has not yet started to act on it to detect and get it removed.