Transcription regulation and animal diversity

[paulsamuel]

evolutionary forces other than strict darwinian adaptationism appear to be driving (or responsible for) diversity (at least in animals).

from Nature July 10 2003 Vol 424 No 6945 pp 147-151

Transcription regulation and animal diversity.

Michael Levine* & Robert Tjian*†

Whole-genome sequence assemblies are now available for seven different animals, including nematode worms, mice and humans.
Comparative genome analyses reveal a surprising constancy in genetic content: vertebrate genomes have only about twice the
number of genes that invertebrate genomes have, and the increase is primarily due to the duplication of existing genes rather than
the invention of new ones. How, then, has evolutionary diversity arisen? Emerging evidence suggests that organismal complexity
arises from progressively more elaborate regulation of gene expression.

 

[spuriousmonkey]

I think that this is one of the most interesting topics in Biology currently and I particularly am interested because I am a developmental biologist interested in evolution.

I think that some of the other threads here in sciforums are slightly related to this topic, so I am going to give a few links to them.

transgenic animals, phenotype and redundancy

Combinatorial control


and I thought there was another one, but I can't find it

 

[ElectricFetus]

I don't see how this goes against Darwinian evolution?

 

[spuriousmonkey]

it doesn't i think

 

[ElectricFetus]

Well he’s claiming some other force would have to be involved other then solely Darwinian evolution?

 

[spuriousmonkey]

I know, but I haven't read the article yet. There should be something revolutionary in it for it to be anti-darwinian. SHould be an interesting read.

 

[paulsamuel]

wellcooked

that's not what i said.

the contrast is between a strict adaptationist interpretation of evolution and a broader view with evolutionary forces of neutral characters, regulatory elements and exaptation (may be others I can't think of off hand).

S.J. Gould writes about this contrast (i'm hesistant to call it a controversy, though many would) in the first chapter of his book, The Structure of Evolutionary Theory.

The abstract of the review to which I referred is about the gene regulation.

 

[spuriousmonkey]

I've scanned through the article a bit, and it is quite interesting. It summarizes a bit part of the current view on development and evolution in our field. Although there is no emphasis on morphogenesis in this particular article.

another sciforum related link

 

[paulsamuel]

spurious

i thought you might like it, and glad you do

 

[spuriousmonkey]

thanks for pointing it out. I have been really lazy lately with my literature reading. I would probably have missed it.