Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
No New No New Information?Information?
Rejecting the Rejecting the Creationist Myth with Creationist Myth with
Basic GeneticsBasic Genetics
“No New Information!”
A common creationist argument is that evolution is incapable of producing new
genetic information.
There are many varieties of claims regarding this argument. However, only rarely will a creationist actually provide a
definition of “genetic information.”
(Those who do are easily refuted.)
“No New Information!”
Using only a rudimentary understanding of genetic mutations, we can show that
evolution can produce characteristics that did not previously exist.
Quick Review: Mutations● Point substitution
One base is replaced by another
● CCGTAG becomes CCGAAG
● Additions One or more
bases are added● CCGTAG
becomes CCGTGAG
● Deletions One or more
bases are deleted● CCGTAG
becomes CCGAG
● Duplications A block of bases is
duplicated● CCGTAG
becomes CCGTACGTAG
Point Mutations
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT BAT
AUG CUU GAA GCG UCAMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU GAA GCG UCAMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asn
GUC GAU
GUA AAU
Additions
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RED RAT
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCA GAUMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCA CCC GAUMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Pro Asp
Addition Resulting in a Frameshift
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG CAT ATE TQH EFA TRA T
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCA GAUMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU GUC GAA GUC AGA U..Met Leu Val Glu Asp Val Arg . . .
GAC
Frameshifts
http://www.nmsr.org/nylon.htm
Deletion
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCAMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG GUC GAA GCG UCAMet Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
GAU
GAU
Deletion Resulting in a Frameshift
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG ATA TET HEF ATR AT
AUG CUU GAA GCG UCAMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU UCG AAG CGU CAG AU . . . .Met Leu Ser Lys Arg Gln . . . . . .
GUC GAU
Duplication
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT FAT RAT
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCAMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCA UCAMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Ser Asp
GAU
GAU
AUG CUU GUC GCGMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG CGU CAG AU...Met Leu Val Glu Ala
GAA UCA GAU
UAG
Duplication Resulting in a Frameshift
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAA TET HEF ATR AT
STOPSTOP
Inversion
THE BIG CAT ATE THE FAT RAT
THE BIG TAF EHT ETA TAC RAT
AUG CUU GUC GAA GCG UCA GAUMet Leu Val Glu Ala Ser Asp
AUG CUU ACU GCG AAG CUG GAUMet Leu Thr Ala Lys Leu Asp
Frameshifts
Frameshifts
Nylon Bug
In the early 1980s, scientists discovered bacteria that subsisted on nylon.
The enzyme responsible for metabolizing nylon did not break down any other molecule.
The type of chemical bond between nylon monomers does not exist in nature.
Nylon Bug
“But this new read-out is still a subset of the already existing DNA. The frame-shift mutation did not add onto the existing DNA rather it only scrambled what was there! There is no way around it, the variation or changes cannot become massive changes needed because if all it does is re-arrange the existing DNA it is limited to that DNA.”
http://www.creationwiki.net/index.php?title=Mutations_don%27t_add_information
Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase
1
1
1
2
2
2'
2 3
The Easy Way
1001001 vs. 10010011001011
Which contains more information?
A) 1001001 has more informationB) 10010011001011 has more
informationC) Neither one has more information
than the other
The Easy Way
1001001 vs. 10010011001011
If you chose B:
Start with 1001001 (which has less information)
Undergo duplication, which results in 10010011001001
Undergo a point mutation, which results in 10010011001011
Information content has increased!
The Easy Way
1001001 vs. 10010011001011
If you chose A:
Start with 10010011001011
1) Undergo a deletion, which results in 1001001
or2a) Undergo a deletion, which results in 10010112b) Undergo a point mutation, which results in 1001001
Information content has increased!
The Easy Way
1001001 vs. 10010011001011
If you chose C:
Then your definition of “genetic information” is so meaningless that new characteristics can arise
without an increase in “genetic information.”
With a Genetic Example:
GCAUGUACAGUAGGACUU
ACACAGCAUGACUUGACUCU
ACACAGCAUGACUUGACUCU
With a Genetic Example:
GCAUGUACAGUAGGACUU
GCAUGUACAGGAUGACUU by inversion
GCACAGGAUGACUU by deletion
GCACAGGAUGACUUGACUU by duplication
ACACAGGAUGACUUGACUU by point substitution
ACACAGGAUGACUUGACUCU by addition
ACACAGCAUGACUUGACUCU by point substitution
GCAUGUACAGUAGGACUU
With a Genetic Example:
ACACAGCAUGACUUGACUCU
GCAUGUACAGGAUGACUU by addition
GCACAGGAUGACUU by deletion
GCACAGGAUGACUUGACUU by point substitution
ACACAGGAUGACUUGACUU by deletion
ACACAGGAUGACUUGACUCU by point substitution
GCAUGUACAGUAGGACUU by inversion
The Bottom Line
The claim that evolution cannot produce new information can be disproved using only basic knowledge of genetic mutations and simple common sense.
If there are two sequences, A and B, such that a mutation in sequence A that results in loss of information forms sequence B, then it is possible for sequence B to undergo the “opposite” mutation and form sequence A, which results in an increase in information.
