Honest Question for Evolutionist?

Question

Can You Give An Example of a Genetic mutation or an evolutionary process which can be seen to increase the information in the geonome?

Answer 1

Absolutely.

First, in the general sense, gene duplication events occur relatively often. Of the 40,000 genes in the human genome, about 15,000 seem to be the result of gene duplication events. (See source.)

While the duplication event itself does not increase the amount of information (as the duplicate gene codes for the same protein), subsequent mutation of that duplicated gene *does* ... and the fact that it is a duplicate (redundant) gene means that it can gain information without fatal loss of function (as the original gene is still present).

My favorite example, color vision in Old World primates (including humans). Old World primates (incl. African and Asian apes, and humans), all have the same trichromatic color vision based on three photopigments in the retina. New World primates (Central and South American monkeys), have only two photopigments ... with the notable exception of the howler monkey, which has a third photopigment, which is different from ours, and occurs in a completely different location in the genome ... suggesting that color vision in howler monkeyes evolved completely separately.

The genetic evidence is that the color vision in OW primates is the result of a duplication of the opsin gene that codes for the long-wavelength photopigment in the retina (the photopigment that lets cones see in the "red" end of the spectrum). This produced a second gene that subsequently gained information in the form of a mutation that coded for a different peak wavelength ... medium wavelengths ("greens"). Both of these genes are located on the X chromosome, which is why color blindness (the lack of one of these two genes) is more common in male primates (including humans).

So that's a mutation (duplication + mutation in the coding of the opsin gene) that produced new information (a third photopigment).

Another example:
- Insecticide resistance as an example of evolution by gene duplication. (See third link, under sources.)


I also recommend reading:
http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CB/CB102.html
and
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/25/8791

Answer 2

One could argue for certain diseases. Viruses do become immune to certain antibiotics. This would be a good thing. However, it would only be good if affected by the antibody. The antibody latches itself onto a certain part of the bacteria/virus. To counter the antibody, the bacteria simply gets rid of the body part. This is not an increase in genome, it is a decrease. Think of it as if everybody in the world was to be handcuffed. Then there was a person with no arms. Sure, he his better of in the circumstances, but is he better? No! To answer the question, there have been no information increases with mutations.

Answer 3

Here are four examples, with references.

The key is of course the definition of "information". Does "increasing the information" mean simply adding proteins to the DNA chain or are you referring to the effects of changing the chain proteins to result in new species or species traits?

There is nothing inherent in the structure of a DNA chain that would preclude proteins from being added (or removed for that matter) to the middle or either end of the chain.

Answer 4

Microbiologyst spend most of their time adding RNA to bacterias...Diabetics insulin is made from bacterias modified to produce it......This is not a genetic mutation but it is adding genetic material to the bacterias genome thus a type of evolution ..they are many types of evolution...

Answer 5

Polyploidy in plants. This process made corn from teosinte. Also look up "true breeding triticale."

Answer 6

Listen dummy, everybody knows the world is made up with magic! Sweet yummy tasty magic.

Answer 7

PLants and animals can do things