smlane at eos.ncsu.edu (STEPHEN MARCUS LANE) writes:
>Does anyone in this group have knowledge of or interest in the recent
>experiments in directed (applied, in vitro...) molecular evolution by
>Jack Szostak and Gearld Joyce, among others?
>I am a grad student just beginning research in this field and would
>like to begin a discussion on it if anyone is interested. Thanks!
Stephen,
I have an interest not supported by knowledge in this field. Why don't
you start things by posting a few literature references?
I'm curious about the possibility of directed evolution that involves
functionally "coupled" molecules. An example of this would be a system
in which mutation and amplification of nucleic acids ("genes") would be
coupled to their selection based on fitness measurements of proteins
encoded by nucleic acids encoding them. Isn't this the normal mode of
evolution in life, represented the unspoken backpropagation essential to
the forward flow of the central dogma?
With luck, these demonstrations of the state of my "understanding" will
elicit some useful clarifications, castigations, or other gentle jostlings
(read: flames).
Bill O'Reitz
