Several questions on evolution, and mutation (rate)

[taylorpm at ARIEL.UCS.UNIMELB.EDU.AU]

>On 27 Aug 1996, Joan Shields wrote:
>
>> From: Joan Shields <joan at med.unc.edu>
>> Newgroups: sci.bio.technology, sci.bio.misc, sci.math,
>>     bionet.molbio.evolution, bionet.microbiology
>>
>> Stats haven't always been one of my strong points but there is something I
>> think I can add - something I think a lot of people are overlooking.
>>
>> Whether or not is would take, on average, X numbers of tries in order to
>> form amino acids - you have to remember that all those different
>> combinations didn't/don't occur one right after the other - they can
>> happen all at once.  In other words, evolution doesn't just happen in a
>> straight line - mutations occur everywhere and in every direction.  If you
>> look at mutations that have been successful, then it appears that
>> evolution is going in a line (or meandering path).
>
>But they have to occur at the right time in combination with a
>lightening strike, etc.
>
>> Just look at how variable HIV is.  All these mutations all occuring at the
>> same time - some are viable and some aren't.  Some are better at surviving
>> for a while or better at transmission or better at eluding drugs and the
>> body's own systems.
>
>But in all cases, it is STILL HIV, right??  I.e. no evolution occurred -
>adaptation, variability of a species yes - but not evolution.  No new
>"creature" was created.



Do you expect a whole new creature to appear after one generation? It won't
happen overnight but it will happen..... How are you defining new and
creature?  I think you need to do some more thinking yourself....


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Paul Taylor
Department of Microbiology
University of Melbourne
Parkville   Victoria    3052
AUSTRALIA
Ph  : (03) 9344 5698
email : taylorpm at ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au