Vertical gene transfer is the method of passing along DNA that we are familiar with, when two parents produce offspring that have a combination of their genes. But that's not the only way that organisms can gain new genes. Horizontal gene transfer is not as common, but it can lead to a lot of changes in a species. This is when bacteria, fungi, plants, animals, or any species incorporate genes from a different species into their genomes. Yeah, it's complicated, but nature is weird. If the new genes prove to be beneficial in some way, the species will keep these new alien genes until they are their own. That means that it goes on a lot more than we realize because only a small percentage of these natural gene transfers will be beneficial.
Friday, April 19, 2024
I’m A Genetic Engineer. I’m Also a Fish.
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1 comment:
So with electrification, cars, charging stations, and huge data centers with new high tension lines criss crossing the land, there's a chance I could pick up a skinny gene horizontally? Sure it's a long shot but I can hope.
xoxoxoBruce
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