The papers should be from 2018 or later, unless I say otherwise. Your assignment should consist of a brief review of the area of study and a summary of the viewpoints of the authors. It should be between 1000-1500 words.
Running Head:
The influence of Selfish DNA on the evolution of complex organisms
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SELFISH DNA 3
Research Topic:
The influence of Selfish DNA on the evolution of complex organisms
This research topic will examine the role of selfish DNA in the evolution of complex organisms. It will analyze the evidence both for and against the idea that selfish DNA has been selected for over time, and how it may have contributed to the development of complex organisms. Additionally, the research will explore how selfish DNA may interact with other evolutionary processes and the potential implications of its presence in the genome.
The concept of “selfish DNA” is a source of ongoing controversy in evolutionary biology. Selfish DNA is defined as DNA sequences which appear to exist for no other purpose than their own replication, and some scientists have argued that these sequences may have been selected for over time due to their ability to increase their own abundance. Proponents of this idea argue that selfish DNA may have played a role in the evolution of complex organisms, while others dispute this idea and point to evidence that suggests that selfish DNA may be a mere byproduct of other evolutionary processes.
Selfish chromosomes and other genetic components have been shown to boost their transmission rate at the expense of the rest of the genome, which can have serious consequences for the creatures that carry them (Shapiro,2021). These segregation distortions are hypothesized to either stabilize (perhaps leading to population extinction) or, more frequently, drive the emergence of genetic suppression to rebalance transmission (Price,2019).
References
Shapiro, J., & Noble, D. (2021). What prevents mainstream evolutionists teaching the whole truth about how genomes evolve?.
Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology,
165, 140-152.
Price, T. A. R., Verspoor, R., & Wedell, N. (2019). Ancient gene drives: an evolutionary paradox.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B,
286(1917), 20192267.