Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Lysenko's revenge continues
An excellent example of USEFUL science, and also a nice vindication of Lysenko. As always, real science advances by improved materials and techniques, not by theories.
The entire topic of epigenes was REdiscovered about 20 years ago when wise biologists ABANDONED their Mendelian theories and TOOK HOLD OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HERE. Now that this more accurate view of genes informs new observations, it continues to yield more useful TECHNIQUES, like this one:
This epigenetic reprogramming of soybean plants, the culmination of a decade-long study, was accomplished not by introducing any new genes but by changing how existing genes are expressed. Researchers identified a gene they call MSH1 that exists in all plants, and when they down-regulate or turn off its expression, the plant becomes "convinced" it is encountering multiple stresses, even though it is growing under perfect conditions. The plant senses it is dealing with drought, extreme cold, heat and high light levels, etc., simultaneously, Mackenzie explained, so it amplifies the expression of gene networks to respond to those stimuli. "Recently, by serendipity, we discovered that after we replace the MSH1 gene, the plant has a 'memory' of that stress -- and by memory I mean its growth features are very different from the plant we started with," she said. "And it will remember the stress generation after generation after generation, as long as we don't make any crosses and keep it in the same lineage."This is exactly what Lysenko was trying to do. He had limited success because he didn't have gene-editing technology available. He wasn't able to control specific genes solely by selective breeding. LOOK ABOUT YOU. TAKE HOLD OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HERE. TALK TO THEM. LET THEM TALK TO YOU.
Labels: Carver
¶ 3:56 PM
