Wild type refers to the phenotype of the typical form of a species as it occurs
in nature. Originally, the wild type was conceptualized as a product of the
standard "normal" allele at a locus, in contrast to that produced by a
non-standard, "mutant" allele. "Mutant" alleles can vary to a great extent, and
even become the wild type if a genetic shift occurs within the population.
Continued advancements in genetic mapping technologies have created a
better understanding of how mutations occur and interact with other genes to
alter phenotype. It is now appreciated that most or all gene loci exist in a
variety of allelic forms, which vary in frequency throughout the geographic
range of a species, and that a uniform wild type does not exist. In general,
however, the most prevalent allele – i.e., the one with the highest gene
frequency – is the one deemed as wild type.
The concept of wild type is useful in some experimental organisms such as
fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster, in which the standard phenotypes for
features such as eye color or wing shape are known to be altered by particular
mutations that produce distinctive phenotypes, such as "white eyes" or
"vestigial wings". Wild-type alleles are indicated with a "+" superscript, for
example w+ and vg+ for red eyes and full-size wings, respectively.
Manipulation of the genes behind these traits led to the current understanding
of how organisms form and how traits mutate within a population. Research
involving the manipulation of wild-type alleles has application in many fields,
including fighting disease and commercial food production.
Medical applications The genetic sequence for wild-type
versus "mutant" phenotypes and how these genes interact in expression is the
subject of much research. Better understanding of these processes is
hoped to bring about methods for preventing and curing diseases that are
currently incurable such as infection with the Herpes virus. One example of
such promising research in these fields was the study done examining the link
between wild-type mutations and certain types of lung cancer. Research is also
being done dealing with the manipulation of certain wild-type traits in viruses
to develop new vaccines. This research may lead to new ways to combat deadly
viruses such as the Ebola virus and HIV. Research using wild-type mutations is
also being done to establish how viruses transition between species to identify
harmful viruses with the potential to infect humans.
Commercial applications Selective breeding to enhance the most
beneficial traits is the structure upon which agriculture is built. Genetic
manipulation expedited the evolution process to make crop plants and animals
larger and more disease resistant. Research into wild-type mutations has
allowed the creation of genetically modified crops that are more efficient
food producers, which is a major reason behind world hunger being at all-time
lows. Genetic alteration of plants leads to not only larger crop production, but
also more nutritious products, allowing isolated populations to receive vital
vitamins and mineral that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Utilization of these wild-type mutations has also led to plants capable of
growing in extremely arid environments, making more of the planet habitable than
ever before. As more is understood about these genes, agriculture will continue
to become a more efficient process, which will be relied upon to sustain a
continually growing population. Amplification of advantageous genes
allows the best traits in a population to be present at much higher percentages
than normal, although this practice has been the subject of some ethical debate.
These changes have also been the reason behind certain plants and animals being
almost unrecognizable when compared to their ancestral lines.
See also Genotype
Phenotype Crop wild relative
References External links
"Absence of the wild-type allele" – Pediatrics
"Genetically-spliced bacteria may benefit agriculture" – Sarasota
Herald-Tribune "Reading of DNA allows creation of
synthetic vaccines" – Star News "A Curious Clue in Cats" – Newsday
"A Genetically Engineered Agriculture Revolution?" – The Telegraph
"Wild Type Learning Activity" "Wild-Type vs. Mutant"
"Genetic Background"