Category: Uncategorized

THIS TOUR DE FORCE position paper by Güenther Witzany sets forth much of the core of the new thinking which revises Darwinian ideas of evolution in the light of modern genetics. Like all scientific theories, it continues to be modified by incremental data. This non-random viral-editing theory of evolution is a radical step away from traditional Darwinian views. https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

OLD REDUCTIONISM. "For at least 4 decades, it was common use in molecular biology to investigate the physical chemical properties of nucleic acid sequence molecules. The essential assumptions were that natural laws determine statistical fluctuations in the molecular sequence order and errors in cellular genetic replications lead to variants in DNA sequences that are the object of selection processes." https://lnkd.in/eUYvi8e View in LinkedIn

VIRAL GENOME EDITING VITAL TO ALL LIFE. "Contemporary sequence analyses and intercomparisons underline the crucial evolutionary functions of viruses and their genome-editing competences for all life forms." https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

RNA AGENTS AND VIRUSES. "It seems plausible now that if we look at the abundance of regulatory RNAs and persistent viruses in host genomes, we will find more and more evidence that the key players that edit the genetic codes of host genomes are consortia of RNA agents and viruses that drive evolutionary novelty and regulation of cellular processes in all steps of development." https://lnkd.in/eUYvi8e View in LinkedIn

CONTRARY TO DARWIN. "Evolutionary history emerges entirely differently than previously thought. This history is not an aggregation of chance mutations of the genetic text and its associated selection. Rather, it is a permanent and competent processing of genetic sequences to acquire previously unknown abilities and to ward off competing parasites via genomic innovation." https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

NO GRADUAL MUTATION. "I would certainly go along with the view that gradual mutation followed by selection has not, as a matter of fact, been demonstrated to be necessarily a cause of speciation." (Professor Denis Nobel). https://lnkd.in/eSeZ5Qq View in LinkedIn

RULES OF SYNTAX. "Combinatorial and rearranging processes in evolutionary and developmental processes occur non-randomly. They need successful and coherent adherence to the rules of molecular syntax." https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

GENOME EDITING IS IMPORTANT. "There is growing evidence that natural genome-editing competences of viruses are essential for the evolution of the eukaryotic nucleus, the adaptive immune system and the placental mammals." https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

CODES NEED ACTIVE AGENTS. "The variety of RNA agents that share the competence to act on nucleic acid sequences by several techniques (de novo generation, ligation/degradation, insertion/deletion, silencing, amplification, epigenetic markings, etc.) is coherent with the general assumption that no natural code codes itself but needs some competent agents that act on this code." https://lnkd.in/eg6uePF View in LinkedIn

KEY FIRST DISTINCTION. "Natural genome editors differentiate between self and non-self. How did prebiotic chemistry start life?" https://lnkd.in/eg6uePF View in LinkedIn