Marko V | Where the Genes Flow
The Challenge | Where the Genes Flow
Gene flow and Origins of Life
Tracking the biological species by satellite is a useful tool for population genetics. It helps us how to follow spreading of particular genes or characteristic. This is of significant importance for origins of species and even for Origin of Life research.
Tracing the population of species bearing particular gene can be an useful tool for population genetics, as biological species also arise through e.g. “Founder effect.” Therefore monitoring spreading of particular gene or mutation or polymorphism can provide useful data for understanding biological evolution. Moreover, it can help us to understand whether particular characteristic is propagating on Mendelian manner or is it polygenic or it has even epigenetic origin.
In this sense it can be proposed to identify some particular genes, characteristics in reindeer herd and trace the herd by satellite and detect their possible contacts and interactions with other herds and also to simultaneously monitor of possible spread of particular gene or characteristics. This will help us to understand the mechanisms and conditions which allow/disallow survival of particular gene. This could be of importance for testing the Neo-Darwinian theories, which are known to a broader audience through the famous book “Selfish gene” written by Prof. Richard Dawkins. From this perspective such research would have deep impact on the Origins of Life researches, which are at the core of space exploration efforts. There is no doubt that knowledge regarding the origin of life has a substantial influence on contemporary philosophical knowledge, from where we are coming from and where we are going to. Such results may also address the great challenges we face as a society and could significantly impact our future survival. This is a principal question of a modern science. In addition, doubtlessly, solutions of problems connected with these topics would certainly help us to understand the biochemistry of certain diseases and to develop a proper medicines and treatment for them.
Chasing the occurrence of particular genes, mutations, polymorphisms or characteristics would, apart of monitoring the population of herds and their migrations, also require the application of molecular biology methods e.g. like DNA sequence analysis and some analytical chemical and biochemical methods and bioinformatics approaches.
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