Posted on 04/17/2010 7:19:18 PM PDT by rdl6989
New information about early Native Americans' horticultural practices comes not from hieroglyphs or other artifacts, but from a suite of four gene duplicates found in wild and domesticated sunflowers.
In an upcoming issue of Current Biology, Indiana University Bloomington biologists present the first concrete evidence for how gene duplications can lead to functional diversity in organisms. In this case, the scientists learned how duplications of a gene called FLOWERING LOCUS T, or FT, could have evolved and interacted to prolong a flower's time to grow. A longer flower growth period means a bigger sunflower -- presumably an attribute of great value to the plant's first breeders.
"Our paper shows how gene duplication creates potential for evolutionary innovation not just through creating new gene content but also through new interactions among duplicates," said Ben Blackman, the report's lead author.
Blackman conducted the research as an IU Bloomington Ph.D. student. He is now a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University.
Biologists have long thought the accidental duplication of genetic material provides important fodder for evolution. Less risky than modifying an existing, possibly important gene, duplicates offer an out -- one copy can continue its normal activities while the other copy acquires new functions. That's a hypothesis, anyway. The Current Biology paper suggests reality may be a little more complex.
(Excerpt) Read more at redorbit.com ...
Ping and finished :D
Which confirms the theory that Native Americans originated from sunflowers.
You can generate mice with some dirty rags and a few kernels of wheat or corn.
I’ve never tried making Indians, but I am going to get some sunflower seeds on Monday and see if it works.
I always wanted an Indian, a wooden one, but a real life one would be great. Do you know which varieties generate which tribe?
Liar! Liar! Plants For Hire!
Plant: a person placed secretly in a group or organization, as by a foreign government, to obtain internal or secret information, stir up discontent, etc.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plant
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Thanks rdl6989! That's a lot of posting in a short time! |
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Does this mean that the humble, peaceful native Americans, so in tune with Gaia......practiced genetic engineering?!!!
THAT is taking "the birds and the bees" TOO FAR! Beastiality is one thing, but diddling with PLANTS?
The Vegan fails to consider that plants have feelings too.
“Sunflower Genes Yield Traces Of Early Native Americans
THAT is taking “the birds and the bees” TOO FAR! Beastiality is one thing, but diddling with PLANTS?”
First they came for the cucumbers, but I remained silent because I had no use for cucumbers...
Makes perfect sense. Early European Americans originated in Mayflower(s).
That's funny right there.
I seed what you mean.
BTW, you missed the one about the Roman wreck off Italy, nice job. ;’) /joke alert
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