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Genetic variability

From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science

Recombination during Meiosis (a form of cell division). Chromosomes condense and pair-up, then recombine information to produce genetically unique daughter cells.

Genetic variability is the measure of variation in genetic makeup between individuals in a population (i.e. having more than one allele at each gene locus). There are two primary sources for changes to gene sequence; mutations and recombination. The cell recombines DNA for various reasons including the purposeful generation of diversity. Mutations on the other hand are changes resulting from exposures to foreign mutagens, or the result of errors during biochemical reactions such as DNA replication.

Evolutionists almost universally attribute changes to genes to mutation, despite the recognition that recombination events are purposeful reactions making alterations to chromosomes in a largely uncharacterized manner. Although it is possible that random mutations may produce a beneficial change to the genome, finely tuned environmental adaptations are not likely accomplished by randomly altering genetic code. [1]

1 Genetic Recombination
2 Mutations
3 Transposons
4 Polyploidy
5 References
6 External links
7 See Also

Genetic Recombination

Main Article: Genetic recombination

Genetic recombination is the name given to a large group of reactions during which cellular machinery uses a stretch of DNA to alter or recombine with a similar (homologous) sequence. Unlike mutation, recombination is a large-scale rearrangement of a DNA molecule. This process involves pairing between complementary strands of two parental duplex, or double-stranded DNAs, and results from a physical exchange of chromosome material. Genetic information is recombined by the cell for several reasons including the repair of damaged DNA, and the production of population variability during sexual reproduction.

Mutations

Main Article: Mutation

A mutation is any spontaneous heritable change in DNA sequence. They results from either cellular accidents during processes like replication or recombination, or due to exposures to foreign mutagens, such as chemicals or ultra violet rays. If even one nucleotide in a gene is changed, then a new variation of the allele has been added to the population, and a different amino acid may be assembled into the protein during gene expression.