Customer Reviews

The Origins of Genome Architecture

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lynch makes the case that the transition from prokaryote to eukaryote - and the evolution of multicellularity and greater complexity afterward - are best explained by non-adaptive processes. Genetic drift, rather than natural selection, may have cause the necessary genome expansions that we see in the higher lineages, along with increasing amounts of ambiguous, non-coding DNA with no known purpose.

Lynch's case is an extremely strong, refreshing and compelling one. His writing is clear and simple, considering the subject matter. However, this is not quite a beginner's book. Lynch's case is fairly one-sided; he does not give an enormous amount of consideration to alternative possibilities, whether such alternatives necessarily invoke natural selection or not. Reduced population size is certainly symptomatic of increased organismal complexity and size. It does not automatically follow that it is caused by this reduction. Further, we should be careful about invoking traditional population genetics theory in light of more recent genomics work, which challenges many of the traditional core assumptions. Note, this is a caveat, and not a criticism (hence, the 5-star rating); Lynch is simply making his case. Nonetheless, this approach could lead a new reader to assume that the case is closed - that Lynch's explanation is comprehensive and there is no more work to be done.

In reality, this book, along with many of Lynch's recent publications in prestigious journals, open whole avenues of investigation which need urgent attention. Lynch and his contemporaries appear to be well-equipped to undertake this work.

If you ever wondered why the genome behaves in a certain manner and how certain changes in the genome ever came to be, then this is the book for you. Brilliantly written by one of the authority's in genome architecture. Read Dr. Lynch paper in Science 2000.

This book offers a non-conventional view on biological evolution, particularly that of animals, including humans. Solid molecular and population genetic analysis reveal that evolution of higher eukaryotes are realised predominantly by genetic drift of pseudo neutral mutations rather than by Darwinian type selection mechanisms. Authors' concept also might be applied to explain so far less discussed issue on the direction of evolution - from primitive forms towards more developed organisms.