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To: GourmetDan
Both the genome and the organism are caught up on a cycle of cause and effect. But the changes that the body does to the genome (epigenetic) are transitory and change expression of genes. The changes that the genome undergoes are more or less permanent (baring a back mutation) and change the actual gene that is being expressed.

Epigenetic changes is a ‘more or less’ or ‘on or off’ change.

Genetic changes change the actual protein being produced.

As I said before, every single protein in a chimp could be mutated into a fully functioning protein that is identical to a human protein.

So what again is the “barrier” to a 2% genetic change or 6% genomic change over a few million years of divergent ancestry if the DNA itself is mutable, and either permutation works fine for keeping the organism alive?

984 posted on 09/17/2008 3:12:53 PM PDT by allmendream (Sa-RAH! Sa-RAH! Sa-RAH! RAH RAH RAH! McCain/Palin2008)
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To: allmendream
"Both the genome and the organism are caught up on a cycle of cause and effect. But the changes that the body does to the genome (epigenetic) are transitory and change expression of genes. The changes that the genome undergoes are more or less permanent (baring a back mutation) and change the actual gene that is being expressed."

Absolutely wrong. You didn't understand the article, did you? You do realize that the human proteome is 3x the size of the genome, don't you.

"As I said before, every single protein in a chimp could be mutated into a fully functioning protein that is identical to a human protein."

You are confusing proteins w/ genes. They are not the same thing, which is what the article was pointing out.

"So what again is the “barrier” to a 2% genetic change or 6% genomic change over a few million years of divergent ancestry if the DNA itself is mutable, and either permutation works fine for keeping the organism alive?"

DNA mutation is constrained. It is not random. You will never get a human from a chimp.

990 posted on 09/17/2008 3:33:30 PM PDT by GourmetDan (Eccl 10:2 - The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.)
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