3 ms·

So what mechanism carries the information of how the body functions from generation to generation if not genes?

tosseraccount 10y ago
Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics#Transgenerational https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics#Transgenerational
- jackcosgrove 10y ago
  Epigenetics may influence gene expression, but as your link says others are skeptical that it constitutes an independent information vector. Epigenetic activities may themselves be encoded in genes. Epigenetics as a concept can also be abused into a sort of neo-Lamarckism.
  - fifnir 10y ago
    >Epigenetic activities may themselves be encoded in genes. But good luck growing a healthy organism without its epigenetic landscape properly initialized
    - im3w1l 10y ago
      Has it been verified experimentally that it's not possible?
toufka 10y ago
Physics. More specifically, 'conditions'. More specifically, the environment in which the ingredients are produced determines how the ingredients assemble. The analogy to the ingredients list is a decent one, but it is also a tad misleading. You generally do require knowledge of the environment to figure out how the parts will assemble, but many of the parts do work in many different environments and can be considered whole and separable objects rather than ingredients. But trying to separate evolution/life from its environment is the first mistake a student makes when studying evolution. As a grandparent stated, if the genes are the starting positions in Conway's Game of Life, the laws of physics are the rules of the game, and the physical conditions (temperature, pH, gravity, time, etc.) are the topology and specifics of the board you'll be playing on. Then you just hit play and certain concepts self-assemble - the flier, the block, the boat, etc. Some can then be used as objects in themselves, some can be used structurally, some can be used to build/destroy structure - that is life.
- jackcosgrove 10y ago
  If the laws of physics are universal (fingers crossed), then this factor gets canceled out. Obviously organisms which evolved under our physical regime can only function properly within our physical regime. But this doesn't add any information as to why one set of genes manifests itself differently than another set of genes, since the physical laws are the same.
  - coldtea 10y ago
    >If the laws of physics are universal (fingers crossed), then this factor gets canceled out This is beside the point, as parent already explained what he meant in his first 2 sentences: "Physics. More specifically, 'conditions'". So, yes, the laws of physics might be universal, but gravity is X here and N on the moon, pressure is Y here and M under the sea, temperature, etc...

Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics#Transgenerational https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics#Transgenerational

jackcosgrove 10y ago
Epigenetics may influence gene expression, but as your link says others are skeptical that it constitutes an independent information vector. Epigenetic activities may themselves be encoded in genes. Epigenetics as a concept can also be abused into a sort of neo-Lamarckism.
- fifnir 10y ago
  >Epigenetic activities may themselves be encoded in genes. But good luck growing a healthy organism without its epigenetic landscape properly initialized
  - im3w1l 10y ago
    Has it been verified experimentally that it's not possible?

toufka 10y ago

Physics. More specifically, 'conditions'. More specifically, the environment in which the ingredients are produced determines how the ingredients assemble. The analogy to the ingredients list is a decent one, but it is also a tad misleading. You generally do require knowledge of the environment to figure out how the parts will assemble, but many of the parts do work in many different environments and can be considered whole and separable objects rather than ingredients. But trying to separate evolution/life from its environment is the first mistake a student makes when studying evolution. As a grandparent stated, if the genes are the starting positions in Conway's Game of Life, the laws of physics are the rules of the game, and the physical conditions (temperature, pH, gravity, time, etc.) are the topology and specifics of the board you'll be playing on. Then you just hit play and certain concepts self-assemble - the flier, the block, the boat, etc. Some can then be used as objects in themselves, some can be used structurally, some can be used to build/destroy structure - that is life.

jackcosgrove 10y ago
If the laws of physics are universal (fingers crossed), then this factor gets canceled out. Obviously organisms which evolved under our physical regime can only function properly within our physical regime. But this doesn't add any information as to why one set of genes manifests itself differently than another set of genes, since the physical laws are the same.
- coldtea 10y ago
  >If the laws of physics are universal (fingers crossed), then this factor gets canceled out This is beside the point, as parent already explained what he meant in his first 2 sentences: "Physics. More specifically, 'conditions'". So, yes, the laws of physics might be universal, but gravity is X here and N on the moon, pressure is Y here and M under the sea, temperature, etc...