Biological complexity:how toxoplasmosis parastizes (Introduction)

by dhw, Friday, November 25, 2016, 12:21 (2920 days ago) @ David Turell

David’s comment: The primary host is cats where eggs are developed, but the parasite cycles through other animals. Look at the diagram in the Stanford site. Ask yourself how this could have evolved step by step. Toxoplasmosis needs the blocking molecule to survive throughout the lifecycle. Logically it had to have this defensive molecule when it started its lifestyle. Note also the giant molecule it uses seen in the first article given here. How did the parasite develop this molecule before entering its first host and experience the immune system present? It has to be saltation.

It really is amazing how all these different organisms find all these different ways of surviving. How each way originates we don’t know, but each one must have had a first. No disagreement from me over saltation, but what are you implying? Do you think your God preprogrammed the first cells to pass on this particular lifestyle to the toxoplasma gondii, or personally intervened to guide little toxy into its first cat? If not, what is your alternative?