Ignorant antievolutionists
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The cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene, aka COI and COX1, is a
mitochondrial protein that has been sequenced (in part) for a large
number of organisms. Often there is variation within species, and
variation between species is quite high, so obviously many more than
one possible sequence will generate a working protein.
It also illustrates the risks of seeing significance in a pattern
found in natural biomolecular structures. Using the standard amino
acid abbreviations, part of the sequence for the female lineage of
the gene in one freshwater mussel is LAGASSILGAINFISTVVNMRS. Male
bivalves also have inheritance of mitochondria along the paternal
line; the sequence differs. The middle of this sequence contains the
phrase "gain fist" (also found in many other species). Are unionoids
plotting to evolve arms? Do they resent our poor stewardship, which
has caused the majority of species in this group to decline, and
driven several to extinction? Does the MRS at the end relate to this
being the female lineage? (No, because it also occurs inthe male
lineage.) This sequence of letters contains information that is
solely a product of the variations in the protein sequence and the
arbitrary naming of amino acids. Such information is problematic for
many criteria to detect special design.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted
Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at
Droitgate Spa
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