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| Science & Technology |
| 500 Million Years Of Evolution Reversed In Mice |
| 2006-08-07 |
| US researchers have taken a mouse back in time some 500 million years by reversing the process of evolution. By engineering its genetic blueprint, they have rebuilt a gene that was present in primitive animals. The ancient gene later mutated and split, giving rise to a pair of genes that play a key role in brain development in modern mammals. The scientists say the experiments shed light on how evolution works and could lead to new gene therapy techniques. "We are first to reconstruct an ancient gene," said co-researcher Petr Tvrdik of the University of Utah. "We have proven that from two specialised modern genes, we can reconstruct the ancient gene they split off from. "It illuminates the mechanisms and processes that evolution uses, and tells us more about how Mother Nature engineers life." The study, published in the academic journal Developmental Cell, involved a suite of genes involved in embryonic development. Until about 500 million years ago, early animals had 13 such Hox genes. Then each gene split into four, making 52 genes. Over the course of evolution, further mutations occurred, and some genes became redundant and disappeared, leading to today's tally in mammals of 39 Hox genes. The Utah team looked at two of these genes; Hoxa1, which controls embryonic brain development, and Hoxb1, which plays a key role in the development of nerve cells that control facial expressions in animals. The Utah pair combined critical sections of each gene, reconstructing a gene similar to its equivalent some 530 million years ago. The hybrid gene is not completely identical to the ancient one, but the scientists say it performs essentially the same functions. "What we have done is essentially go back in time to when Hox1 did what Hoxa1 and Hoxb1 do today," said Mario Capecchi, professor of human genetics at the University of Utah School of Medicine. "It gives a real example of how evolution works because we can reverse it." Reminds of when Bugs Bunny was hit with the de-evolutionizer by Marvin the Martian. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #3 Well, there is a major difference between evolution of a species on the macro level and evolution of a protien and the gene(s) which encode it. Basically, this is very true at a genetic / protien level. This is something that confuses many people, the difference between molecular evolution and evolution. The article is essentially correct in what it is saying. Many genes can stay un-evolved for millions of years while others can change at amazing rates. Again, the difference between protien evolution and evolution of a species. |
| Posted by: bombay 2006-08-07 21:51 |
| #2 Essentialy, as Mario says, the BBC forgot to give al Rooters the photo credit, essentialy on the mouse. (FOTSGreg nails the time line error.) Grant money available? |
| Posted by: Inspector Clueso 2006-08-07 21:07 |
| #1 Ummmm...I hate to break it to these guys, but mice (and most other mammals) aren't even close to 500 million years old as species. It was the end of the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago that gave rise to the mammals - theretofore forced to remain small and relatively unassuming (and limited in territory and actual numbers of species) - and allowed the mammal species to differentiate and expand to what we see today. It's possible that mice might be 65-100 million years old as species, but it's unlikely they've remained what they originally were way back when. I understand what the article is trying to say, but they're saying it horribly and producing as fact what is merely fancy. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2006-08-07 20:12 |