THE DAUER MUTATION OF THE CAENORHABDITIS ELEGANS, SIMULATED WITH THE PENNA AND THE STAUFFER MODELS

Abstract

Two aging models were analyzed on whether they can confirm the dauer mutation of the nematode helps to preserve the species. As a result the Penna model shows that populations with dauer larvae survive bad environmental conditions, whereas populations without it die out. In the Stauffer model, the advantage of the dauer mutation for the survival is only given under certain conditions.