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I’m no expert in biology, but I live with one. This statement is incorrect. The DNA is the blueprint. It’s like saying the information of a Mandelbrot set d

I’m no expert in biology, but I live with one. This statement is incorrect. The DNA is the blueprint. It’s like saying the information of a Mandelbrot set doesn’t exist in its expression. It’s not a perfect analogy, but in both cases, the information in question is emergent from the starting point and the rules. Both parts are defined in DNA. Edit: I have a feeling that this article isn’t telling the researcher’s whole story. The implications of epigenetics are vast.

JPLeRouzic 7y ago
I am not a biologist but biologists have discussed the idea that phenotype changes can occur without genotype change, since a long time. Although genotype inarguably influences the development and expression of phenotype, selective forces ultimately operate on phenotypes. The concept of genetic canalization addresses the extent to which an organism's phenotype allows conclusions about its genotype. A phenotype is said to be canalized if mutations (changes in the genome) do not noticeably affect the physical properties of the organism. This means that a canalized phenotype may form from a large variety of different genotypes. If canalization is not present, small changes in the genome have an immediate effect on the phenotype that develops. [3] Mary Jane West-Eberhard famously told "“The 20th century has been called the century of the gene, the 21st century promises to be the century of the environment.” ... ” Darwin, who didn’t even know genes existed, had it right, he left open the possibility that new traits could arise because of environmental influence." [1] An example of such epigenetic and heritable trait changed in morphology without change in DNA is here [2] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jane_West-Eberhard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jane_West-Eberhard [1] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-the-tree-frog-has-redefined-our-view-of-biology-165716397/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-the-tree-f... [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12483213 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12483213 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genotype%E2%80%93phenotype_distinction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genotype%E2%80%93phenotype_dis...
rstuart4133 7y ago
One would have though the recent developments in bringing extinct species back [0] would have made it plain. In that case they inject the DNA into some other species ovum. You don't end up with some hybrid - you get whatever the DNA programmed. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/04/species-revival-bringing-back-extinct-animals/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/04/species-...

JPLeRouzic 7y ago

I am not a biologist but biologists have discussed the idea that phenotype changes can occur without genotype change, since a long time. Although genotype inarguably influences the development and expression of phenotype, selective forces ultimately operate on phenotypes. The concept of genetic canalization addresses the extent to which an organism's phenotype allows conclusions about its genotype. A phenotype is said to be canalized if mutations (changes in the genome) do not noticeably affect the physical properties of the organism. This means that a canalized phenotype may form from a large variety of different genotypes. If canalization is not present, small changes in the genome have an immediate effect on the phenotype that develops. [3] Mary Jane West-Eberhard famously told "“The 20th century has been called the century of the gene, the 21st century promises to be the century of the environment.” ... ” Darwin, who didn’t even know genes existed, had it right, he left open the possibility that new traits could arise because of environmental influence." [1] An example of such epigenetic and heritable trait changed in morphology without change in DNA is here [2] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jane_West-Eberhard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jane_West-Eberhard [1] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-the-tree-frog-has-redefined-our-view-of-biology-165716397/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-the-tree-f... [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12483213 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12483213 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genotype%E2%80%93phenotype_distinction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genotype%E2%80%93phenotype_dis...

rstuart4133 7y ago

One would have though the recent developments in bringing extinct species back [0] would have made it plain. In that case they inject the DNA into some other species ovum. You don't end up with some hybrid - you get whatever the DNA programmed. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/04/species-revival-bringing-back-extinct-animals/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/04/species-...