Jumping genes: Cross species transfer of genes has driven evolution

[swamidass (S. Joshua Swamidass)]

@Patrick

Dr. Swamidass, comments please. Is this a new and surprising result? Does it fit into the neutral theory of evolution?

One by one:

1. Not new or surprising. This is an incremental advance, misreported, about something we have known for a very long time.

2. Not only does it fit with neutral theory, it is because of neutral theory that they can infer the cross species transfer of transposons (“genes” in this case is a misnomer, and only helpful to alliterate with “jumping”).

I’ve already mentioned this several time before. Just a few examples:

@swamidass

Here, when I say “mutations”, I’m not meaning merely point mutations, but a whole host of different mutations (e.g. transposon jumping, copy number variation, structural variation), all of which can dim in or dim out expression of genes at different point of development.

@swamidass

known biochemical mechanisms (like point mutations, chromosome fusions, neutral drift, and transposons).

There are several much more detailed discussions over at biologos too.

@anon46279830

For example, Professor Adelson says, 25% of the genome of cows and sheep is derived from jumping genes.

Well whatever your faults you continue to show yourself to be a most useful mammal for posting articles friendly to positions which I hold. This article for example is very amenable to creationist interpretations.

It is very true that many creationists think that, especially because its being misreported. You forget, however, that I already mentioned this in my PSCF paper too! About 45% of the human genome is transposons. The fact of the matter is that we know how and why they are everywhere. We know how they jump between species. They are the remnants of ancient viruses. That is how they moved between species.

Then exaptation. They become useful for other purposes. This is among the most important and well known mechanisms of evolutionary change.

It is also very strong evidence for common descent.

The Genomic Evidence for Common Descent: 4. Retrotransposons

@anon46279830

Don’t get too excited as the gene transfer happened 160 million years ago.

Thank you for the link. I will try to contain myself.

I’m still not sure what there is to contain. Isn’t it important to understand it first? This is one of the most well known examples of genomic evidence for common descent. This data is not your friend if you are looking evidence against evolution.