Re: Junk DNA: A hypothesis

From: Tim Tyler (tim_at_tt1lock.org)
Date: 01/24/05 

Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:55:48 -0500 (EST)

Perplexed in Peoria <jimmenegay@sbcglobal.net> wrote or quoted:
> "Tim Tyler" <tim@tt1lock.org> wrote in message news:ct10qr$7jc$1@darwin.ediacara.org...
> > Perplexed in Peoria <jimmenegay@sbcglobal.net> wrote or quoted:

> > > Of course, Larry would probably reject this theory, because
> > > he rejects (correctly, I think) the idea that evolvability
> > > is an aspect of organism-level fitness.
> >
> > I don't know what that has to do with anything.
> >
> > Organisms that evolve slowly rapidly lose their red-queen-style
> > races with rapidly-adapting parasites.
>
> But organisms DON'T evolve. Species evolve. The slogan is: Genes
> mutate, organisms are selected, species evolve. IF all selection
> is conventional organism-level selection, then carrying genes that
> promote evolvability provides no selective advantage to the organisms
> that carry them. Organisms CAN'T evolve.

It doesn't require differential reproduction of species to
have your offspring die out through being unable to adapt
rapidly to an environment of changing pathogens.

Consequently, I would not classify reduced evolvability as
requiring species level selection to operate.

I would classify it as ordinary, common organism-level or
gene-level selection. Organisms (or more specifically their
genes) become maladapted to their present environment and die
out.

Of course, if you have a /lot/ less junk DNA than your fellows,
then your chances of inter-breeding with them may well be low. 

-- 
__________
 |im |yler  http://timtyler.org/  tim@tt1lock.org  Remove lock to reply.

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