Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id FAA13884 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 13 Feb 2001 05:58:05 GMT From: <joedees@bellsouth.net> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 00:01:48 -0600 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Subject: Re: Human Genome Message-ID: <3A88796C.623.E1B82E@localhost> In-reply-to: <Pine.LNX.4.10.10102131046040.19692-100000@sushrut.sgpgi.ac.in> X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v3.12c) Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On 13 Feb 2001, at 11:08, Dr Able Lawrence wrote:
That's 30,000.
>
> Hi All,
> Genome report (only 3000 genes) is not really surprising at
> all if
> we understand the implications of the recently discovered complexities
> in gene expression regulation The transcription factors are huge multi
> subunit complexes with countless interactions amongst them. The
> permutation and combination possible for interactions amongst
> transcription factors is realy mind boggling. There is more to
> genetics than mere genes and DNA sequences.
> The real implication of the new finding is that one gene- one
> function hypothesis is dead. Now we know that a single gene can
> produce myriad proteins like the immunoglobuin or T cell receptor or
> neural adhesion molecules involved in the complex wiring of the
> nervous system. On the contrary multiple genes are required for
> functional units (multi subunit complexes) involved in such vital
> functions as regulation of gene expression or respiration or protein
> synthesis.
> A lot of the complexity in higher organism is probably at the
> level
> of gene-gene interactions and the complex cascading and epigenetic
> effects on gene expression.
> To emphasize the point further, all our cells have the same DNA
> sequence (well almost) but are morphologically and functionally
> diverse.
> So it is not necessary to have different sets of genes but more
> fine
> tuned interactions to create us humans.
> As I pointed out earlier that smple minor variations in gene
> expressions can have profound morphological implications. So the gene
> regulating embryogenesis (Hox genes) are highly conserved vertically
> in the evolutionary ladder (ladder itself is an anthropocentric view
> and other organisms can object!)
> Throughout evolution new functions have rarely ever come about by
> inventing new genes (it takes too much directed ingenuity for that,
> may be only Lamarck or biotechnologists a few decades down the line
> can only do it) but by making new use or modifying old genes. Once
> useful but rudimentary function is discovered for an old gene,
> variation and evolution (and duplication if the old gene already has
> an indispensable function) would be favoured and would arise in due
> course of time. Duplication of genes in malignant clones in the body
> is a case in point.
> It would be ridiculous to say that the multidrug resistance gene in
> human malignancy had the same function before that begins to get
> favoured by surviving tumour cells.
> We must view genes as dynamically interacting
> information
> and also should not forget that the genes get their properties through
> the proteins they encode (with all the complexities of protein
> chemistry and protein protein interaction)
>
> Anthropocentrism is alive only in Christian theology!!
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Dr Able Lawrence MD
> Senior Resident
> Clinical Immunology
> SGPGIMS, Lucknow
> able@sgpgi.ac.in
> Ph +91 98390 70247
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
> ===============================================================
> This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
> Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
> For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
> see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
>
>
===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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