Genetic and Molecular Biology

Reading Evolution’s Journalin

...ATCG...

“Missing Information”Why is evidence important to a theory?

Evidence supports a claim.

“Missing Information”Why is evidence important to a theory?Scientific Evidence:

Experimental Results, Repeatable,

Independently Observable.

Facts - things that verifiably occur in

nature.

Evidence of Evolution

What’s up Chuck?There’s

still somethin

g missing!

1953Watson and

Crick

DNA the chemical code

for all life.

The Code Evidence in the chemistry of life

“All living cells use information coded in DNA and RNA to carry information from one generation to the next and to direct protein synthesis. The genetic code is nearly identical in almost all organisms, including

bacteria, yeast, plants, fungi, and animals.”

Identify the differences in the amino acid sequence below. Closer related species will

have fewer differences.

GENETIC EVIDENCE

Who’s your closest ancestor?

Count the differences and find out!

*Coelacanth is type of lobed-fined fish - our common ancestor from the sea; Fugu is a type of ray-finned fish - not our closest ancestor from the sea - a type of puffer-fish actually; Mouse is a mammal that eats cheese (you know - like a mouse).

Who is more closely related to the Who is more closely related to the mouse?mouse?

Fugu

Mouse

CoelacanthMouse to Coelacanth = 6 differences

Mouse to Fugu = 8 differences

HONORS extrasNot tested on this...just extra cool

stuff

Article from HEREDITY

2006

“Building Divergent Body Plans with similar

Genetic Pathways”

http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800872

HOXgenes

Mendel’s work 1856-1863

REDISCOVERED in 1900’s

Darwin, nor anyone else from his time, had any clue about the mechanics of heredity.

Mendel was first to quantify it but his work went unnoticed

until the early 1900’s.