Horizontal gene transfer: does drive evolution (Introduction)

by dhw, Friday, July 13, 2018, 10:51 (2114 days ago) @ David Turell

QUOTES: "New research published in the journal Genome Biology has focussed on genes called retrotransposons, also known transposable elements (TEs), or, more colloquially, “jumping genes”. TEs are genes that can change position on the chromosome, and were first uncovered by the Nobel prize-winning cytogeneticist Barbara McClintock.

"The effect of the introduction of TEs into mammals was striking. “We think the entry of L1s into the mammalian genome was a key driver of the rapid evolution of mammals over the past 100 million years,” says Adelson. (David’s bold)

DAVID: Is this the inventive mechanism used by God or is it another version of chance evolution? Note the effect on mammalian evolution.

Firstly, it’s worth remembering that Barbara McClintock was a firm believer in cellular intelligence. What seems clear to me is that there IS an inventive mechanism. I myself remain unconvinced that it operates by chance, and find it far more likely that it operates through the autonomous intelligence of the cell communities themselves. It may or may not have been designed by your God.