JUMPING GENES HYPOTHESIS.
Posted by bmhegde on 1
Common man is daily bombarded with complicated data on the human genome and genetic engineering. It looks as if all human problems are going to vanish into the thin air and mankind will be happy ever after with the new knowledge. Little does on get to know the other side of the moon. Many a time the jargons used are so technical that the ordinary reader gets nonplussed. The whole idea is to sell the idea to build up a good business deal. Already most of the scientific predictions, like the astrologer’s predictions have gone astray. Whereas we predicted that man would have as many as 1,00,000 to 150000 genes in all at the end of the day we have ended up with a few thousand, twice that of a round worm. Naturally, there are not enough to go round the whole gamut of human illness and wellness!
Be that as it may, a whole vista of new knowledge in that area in mind boggling. There are many what are called epi-genes. The new contenders for the Nobel might be the epi-geneticists! There are others that are inverted and the field is further muddled by their capacity or otherwise to penetrate to show their strength, so called gene penetrance. Our initial attempts at genetic engineering in human treatment has not been as glorious as predicted. In fact, the researchers in that area have gone too far to take a U-turn now. Many years ago, a young lady, Barbara McClintock, working with pea plants had come up with the theory of jumping genes.
She had shown how the genes could unexpectedly jump generations as also to mutate based on love and affection given to the plant! Naturally she was ignored by the vested interests in science and she was ridiculed. Decades later she is recognized to be a genius and was given the Noble. I think she is old enough to be in her Alzheimer state to bask in the glory of her Nobel!