I am attempting to collect information on theories or ideas for the origin
of Alu
sequences. My recollection from medical school days at Stanford is that
they are uniquely human and have resemblances to LTV regions of
retroviruses. Is this correct? I am building a theory of evolution which
postulates that viral integration
into germ lines has played a significant role during the punctuated
periods in the
evolutionary history of life on earth. It is my belief that specific
types of viruses
originate from beyond earth, arrive via comet vectors and their tail
debris, rain on
earth and cause episodic jumps in the evolution of life. I am attempting
to collect
material to further expand or refute this theory. Does anybody have
suggestions
or thoughts to share? The black stone in the Kabab in Mecca may be a
piece
to the story since it is supposed to be a carbonaceous meteorite which may
have
originated from a comet? Have there been any PCR studies on these types
of
meteorites inorder to search for viruses (DNA or RNA). ? Has anybody
developed a reasonable phylogenetic tree for viruses? or incorporated
viruses into
the grand scheme of the origin of life? I have heard of Sir Fred Hoyle
and read
his lecture entitled The Origin of the Universe and the Origin of
Religion but
I haven't read any of his ideas on the existence of viruses or other forms
of life on
comets. Can somebody tell me what his ideas are?
Thanks Foster P. Carr MD 7/18/94 fostercmd at aol.com
