Dr Rob reveals several new studies that are challenging the fundamental assumptions that underlie the neo-Darwinian synthesis. Specifically. the ‘central dogma of molecular biology’ (the thought that information only flows from DNA to RNA to protein) and the Weismann barrier (the thought that only the DNA ‘information’ in sperm and egg cells is inherited) are both wrong. Recent revelations have shown us that sperm actively absorb and use body-cell-sourced RNA in the epididymis, and one polymerase uses RNA templates in a newly discovered DNA repair system. Neither of these are supposed to be true. Can a vague idea from the 19th century withstand the assault of 21st century knowledge? Hardly. The simplifying assumptions made by Darwin and his contemporaries no longer hold up.
Notes and links:
- Main article: Carter R., The barrier has been breached! Making a fool out of Professor Wise-man, Creation.com, 7 September 2021.
- Wilhelm D, Palmer S, Koopman P, Sex determination and gonadal development in mammals, Physiol. Rev. 87(1):1–28, 2007; doi: 10.1152/physrev.00009.2006.
- Crow JF, Age and sex differences on human mutation rates: an old problem with new complexities, J. Radiat. Res. 47(Suppl.):B75–B82, 2006; doi: 10.1269/jrr.47.b75.
- James ER, et al., The role of the epididymis and the contribution of epididymosomes to mammalian reproduction, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 21:5377, 2020; doi: 10.3390/ijms21155377.
- Chandramouly G, et al., Polθ reverse transcribes RNA and promotes RNA-templated DNA repair. Science Advances 7(24):eabf1771; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abf1771. See also the press release from Thomas Jefferson University “New discovery shows human cells can write RNA sequences into DNA”, Phys.org, 11 June 2021.
- King TE, et al., Africans in Yorkshire? The deepest-rooting clade of the Y phylogeny within an English genealogy, Eur J. Hum. Genet. 15:288–293, 2007; doi: 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201771.
Filming locations: Kennesaw National Battlefield Park and Kennesaw Memorial Park.
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