Horizontal Gene Transfer: Is it possible to keep evolving without sex?
In a previous post I put forth the idea that viruses or other organisms that have the ability to inject their DNA into cells may do some good for their hosts and not just bad. Maybe we only hear about the bad ones for example. I then went on to suggest this may help us evolve because it could be a way of passing genetic code between species with the virus as the carrier. So as one species gains a beneficial mutation other species gain this mutation as it is passed by viruses.
This is all conjecture at this point but it’s certainly an interesting thought. Well… I mentioned it to a colleague and he sent me this link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7360770.stm of an article about a species of fish that reproduces asexually, meaning it doesn’t mix it’s dna with iologyanother set to encourage variation.
In most species that this happens the lack of variation hinders evolution and often leads to extinction. But not in this case. The article suggests there may be some genetic ‘trick’ these fish have that allows them to gain DNA from other fish. Apparently the females of this species interact with males of another species to trigger reproduction just not sexually.
Whether or not a virus is used is not the point for me as it’s not the idea of a virus perse that’s important. I’m really just wondering if maybe there are other ways of transferring DNA changes from one species to another or even within the same species. I just don’t know if there’s been any research in this area.
So to answer the question in the title of this post. I’m not sure exactly how much this species is evolving but the evidence indicates that it’s not devolving which is what would be expected with standard asexual reproduction.
Asking this question lead me to the discovery of a process called Horizontal gene transfer where genetic information is passed between orgnaisms on a regular basis without sex. It is known in biological circles but not widely and I think it should be common knowledge because it helps explain so many questions such as how many different species could all evolve eyes at the same time in different places across the world? The logic being that getting the required genetic information from one place becomes easier if biology has always been sharing genetic code. Just like the speed viruses travel across the globe it then becomes possible for these genetic software solutions to travel and share the information needed to create eyes. Though I see little research on this simply because it is not common knowledge.
For now I will list the references I have on this topic in the hopes of returning to elaborate.
Further reading
- What is horizontal gene transfer?
- Evolution is everywhere: Is biology built into programming?
- Is horizontal gene transfer natures software update?
- Can viruses can do good?
- Can programming teach you about biology?
- Updating cells through Horizontal Gene transfer: An idea for a game
- The Plague and the benefits of Horizontal Gene Transfer
- DNA: our Achilles heal
- Study show extracellular vesicles exchange genetic information between cells in the sea
- There is a lively exchange of genetic information between the numerous microorganisms in the oceans. This horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is crucial for the evolution of many organisms and is, for example, also the most important mechanism for the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
- Extracellular vesicles were long regarded as cellular waste. Only in the last 15 years scientists were able to show their various functions for the cell. Our study clearly highlights the fundamental role that EVs play for the exchange of genetic material between cells,
- DNA Jumps Between Animal Species. No One Knows How Often.
- Horizontal Gene Transfer: From Evolutionary Flexibility to Disease Progression
- What We Know About How DNA Jumps Between Species
- A global survey of prokaryotic genomes reveals the eco-evolutionary pressures driving horizontal gene transfer Our study covers an unprecedented scale of integrated horizontal gene transfer and environmental information, highlighting broad eco-evolutionary trends.
- Mysterious Viral DNA in Human Genome Linked With Psychiatric Disorders