Advances in our knowledge of genetics
December 17th 2008 05:04
Genetics is currently undergoing a revolution, not only in terms of the techniques and technologies employed to allow us to see more clearly and quickly the hereditary basis for much of the variation in humans and nature, but also in terms of understanding how the genome was put together through evolution. There have been some notable surprises, some of which are presented in an excellent bunch of articles from New Scientist.
How does a genome increase in size? How does it get more complex? To what extent has horizontal gene transfer been integral to both? Are new genes predominantly the result of duplications and modifications of preexisting genes, or are a substantial proportion of them built up de novo? How much of a genome's so-called "junk DNA" actually carries out important functions? Is variability in gene number as important in terms of phenotypic effect as heterozygosity? Can relaxed selection be regarded as a creative evolutionary process in its own right that contributes to complexification? These sorts of questions form the crux of much current research in genetics, and while we are making some notable advances in coming up with likely answers to them, we clearly still have most of the work cut out for us.
I really recommend reading all these articles; they're highly informative and very accessible, and they provide a glimpse of the sorts of changes to our knowledge of genetics and evolution that are likely to be ushered in over the coming years.
Recipes for life: How genes evolve
Ancient gene recreated from modern descendants
Genomics: We are all numbers
Freedom from selection lets genes get creative
Viruses: The unsung heroes of evolution (this is for me the most thought provoking of these articles)
To learn more about genetics, click here for more articles and news.
How does a genome increase in size? How does it get more complex? To what extent has horizontal gene transfer been integral to both? Are new genes predominantly the result of duplications and modifications of preexisting genes, or are a substantial proportion of them built up de novo? How much of a genome's so-called "junk DNA" actually carries out important functions? Is variability in gene number as important in terms of phenotypic effect as heterozygosity? Can relaxed selection be regarded as a creative evolutionary process in its own right that contributes to complexification? These sorts of questions form the crux of much current research in genetics, and while we are making some notable advances in coming up with likely answers to them, we clearly still have most of the work cut out for us.
I really recommend reading all these articles; they're highly informative and very accessible, and they provide a glimpse of the sorts of changes to our knowledge of genetics and evolution that are likely to be ushered in over the coming years.
Recipes for life: How genes evolve
Ancient gene recreated from modern descendants
Genomics: We are all numbers
Freedom from selection lets genes get creative
Viruses: The unsung heroes of evolution (this is for me the most thought provoking of these articles)
To learn more about genetics, click here for more articles and news.
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