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horizontal gene transfer

At The Scientist: Horizontal gene transfer happens “more often than anyone thought”

Well, of course, anything that horizontal gene transfer did, Darwinian evolution did not do. And if HGT is quite common, it’s going to be much harder to tell what Darwinism actually did. Read More ›

If traits can jump between the branches of the tree of life, classical Darwinism is dead

Researchers: For instance, consider the symbiotic fungi that help plants source minerals from the soil. And then there are truly unusual acquired metabolisms, like sea slugs that steal chloroplasts from their food so they can photosynthesize. Read More ›

Researchers shed light on how horizontal gene transfer triggers antibiotic resistance

At ScienceDaily: "Yi's experiments were designed to test this possible pathway that explains how different pathogens actually get resistance from environmental species," You said. "And he demonstrated that not only is this possible, it's also very likely." Read More ›

“Almost unbelievable” instances of horizontal gene transfer…

Terms like “almost unbelievable” and “magic” are rare in science. One can’t help wondering whether they are code for “This isn’t what Darwinian evolution would teach us to expect but we can’t talk about that, of course.” Read More ›

Common sensor in bacteria and humans highlights reason for doubt re Darwinian tales

At this point, claims that Darwinism can “accommodate” HGT should be seen for what they are special pleading in the face of challenging new findings in evolution. Read More ›

Researchers: Bacteria provided plants with genes to colonize land

Again, we ask, if so, in a world where horizontal gene transfer is this extensive and significant, what becomes of all the carefully structured Darwinian tales of the gradual development of selective advantage? Aren’t they just evolutionary fiction, a form of historical fiction? Read More ›

Researchers: Horizontal gene transfer from invertebrates to snakes helps solve Australian snake mystery

Just think of all the Darwinism that would have been thrown at this transition decades ago. If the account holds up, it’s another instance of a less neat but more accurate picture of the history of life. Read More ›

Whitefly steals genes from plants; perhaps to detoxify plant defenses

If horizontal gene transfer turns out to be widespread, it will confound carefully worked out Darwinian claims about how “evolution” did this and that via natural selection acting on random mutation. With the whitefly, things didn’t happen that way at all. Read More ›

France’s Biology Year: Reimagining evolution as horizontal gene transfer

It’s probably not anywhere near as simple and certain as Catherine Jessus is making out. Viruses don’t likely do enough to create placentas. But the main point is, this definitely isn’t yer old biology teacher’s Split-the-Desk Rant for Darwin!!! Stay tuned. Read More ›

Horizontal gene transfer: Bacteria apparently despise the selfish gene

Researchers: "Cooperation is ubiquitous in bacterial populations. Bacteria produce and share public goods, providing indiscriminate benefits to their neighbors at cost to themselves." It makes sense but it isn’t yer old biology teacher’s evolution. Read More ›

Researchers: “Positive interactions are common among culturable bacteria”

And here we thought nature was “red in tooth and claw.” From the paper: "We find that positive interactions, often described to be rare, occur commonly and primarily as parasitisms between strains that differ in their carbon consumption profiles." Read More ›

Researchers: The last bacterial common ancestor had a flagellum

Question: If the last common ancestor of the bacterium had a flagellum, what do we really know about the evolution of the flagellum? Isn’t that a bit like finding a stone laptop in a Neanderthal cave? That said, it’s nice to see horizontal gene transfer getting proper recognition. Read More ›