Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!bu.edu!bu-bio!colby
From: colby@bu-bio.bu.edu (Chris Colby)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Reconstructing cells from DNA
Message-ID: <79788@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 21 Apr 91 02:42:35 GMT
References: <18637@csli.Stanford.EDU>
Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu
Reply-To: colby@bu-bio.UUCP (Chris Colby)
Organization: Biology Dept., Bost
Lines: 29

In article <18637@csli.Stanford.EDU> cphoenix@csli.Stanford.EDU (Chris Phoenix) writes:

>2) Evolution of cells might take place by other mechanisms than just
>mutation of DNA. 

	Evolution is defined as a change in the gene pool. So, changes
in a heritable material must occur of evolution is to occur. So far
DNA (and RNA) are the only two known genetic materials.

>Non-genetic changes in cells might be hereditary.

	This is like saying non-blue balls might be blue. If something
is hereditary, it must be genetically based (although it would not
neccesarily have to be genetic material in the form of nucleic acid).

>In the case of sexual reproduction, I would expect that such changes
>would be passed on only through the mother.

	Why?

>Is this totally off base, or is non-genetic evolution a possibility?

	It's totally off base ;-) Non-genetic evolution is an
oxymoron.

>Chris Phoenix		cphoenix@csli.stanford.edu

Chris Colby
email: colby@bu-bio.bu.edu