Genetics and randomness / Anatoly Ruvinsky. — Boca Raton, Fla. ; London : CRC, c2010. – (58.14/R983) |
Contents
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1 Limits and uncertainty in nature and logic
Limits of nature
Quantum uncertainty principle
Statistical mechanics and Brownian motion
Randomness in mathematics
Limits of reasoning: randomness and complexity as the general feature of nature and mind
Summary
Note
References
Chapter 2 Quantum fluctuations, mutations, and "fixation" of uncertainty 19
Nature of genes and mutations: the early attempts 19
Mutations and repair 29
Types of mutations 29
Keto-enol transitions and quantum uncertainty 30
Induced mutations and DNA repair 34
How do random molecular events like mutations become facts of life? 35
Somatic and germ cell mutations 36
Quantum uncertainty and unpredictability of life 37
Other quantum phenomena and life 38
Summary 38
References 39
Chapter 3 Recombination and randomness 41
What is recombination? 41
Crossing-over 44
Molecular nature of recombination 49
Distribution of cross-overs along chromosomes 50
Meiotic recombination generates randomness 51
Origin of meiosis and sex 52
Recombination and chromosome rearrangements 53
Genome transformations and speciation 54
Intron-exon structure of eukaryotic genes: randomness again 56
Arranged randomness and immune response 57
Summary 59
References 60
Chapter 4 Uncertainty of development 63
Phenotype and genotype 63
Stochasticity of development: clones and twins 65
Mosaics and chimeras 68
Alternative splicing and variety of proteins 69
Stochastic nature of gene activity 72
Epigenetic basis of developmental variability 73
Random gene inactivation events 77
Random X chromosome inactivation 79
Gene networks and canalization 81
Types of randomness 84
Summary 86
References 88
Chapter 5 Organized randomness 93
Gregor Mendel's vision 93
Random segregation, uncertainty, and combinatorial variability 99
Genes and chromosomes that violate the law 101
Why is the first Mendelian law so common?
Randomness rules
Summary
References
Chapter 6 Random genetic drift and "deterministic" selection 111
The discovery of genetic drift 111
Neutral mutations in evolution 122
Is natural selection deterministic? 126
Adaptations and stochastic processes in evolution 128
Summary 131
References 132
Chapter 7 Life: Making uncertainty certain 135
Order from chaos 136
What is life? 140
The old comparison: physics and biology 142
Natural selection: biology and beyond 145
Randomness: nuisance or essence? 148
The reason and the consequence 150
Summary 155
References 156
Index 159