Lamarck's Signature : How Retrogenes Are Changing Darwin's Natural Selection Paradigm (Helix Books Series)

By Robert V. Blanden, Robyn A. Lindley, Edward J. Steele

Book Overview

This controversial book challenges the accepted theories on the genetic mechanism of evolution. The story these three biologists have to tell may very well upset the whole field of biology.The traditional view of evolution--which grew out of the work of Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin and is strongly supported by present-day scientists like Richard Dawkins and Stephen Jay Gould--assumes we are at the mercy of our genes, which we inherit largely unchanged from our parents, except for rare random mutations which accumulated and lead to change over evolutionary time. Those genes are coded in the chromosomes of the sperm and egg cells of the parents, and so only changes to those two types of cell have any chance of being passed down to the parents'' offspring. Any changes, accidents, or surgery to the rest of the parent's bodies are not transmitted to the newborn.The theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics--if you build up your muscles your kids will be born with a propensity toward great strength--on the other hand, favored by Jean Lamarck in the nineteenth-century, was brought down by nineteenth-century science. But now, as this challenging and thrilling book shows, it looks as though, at least for certain structures in the body's immune system, Lamarck may have been right after all.Based on their own ground-breaking work over the past two decades, as well as that of other molecular biologists, Steele, Lindley, and Blanden argue that for one adaptive body system there is strong molecular genetic evidence that aspects of acquired immunities developed by parents in their own lifetime can be passed on to their offspring. Certain to stimulate lively debate, Lamarck's Signature gives new life and scientific credibility to the Lamarckian heresy--the notion of the inheritance of acquired characteristics.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738201715
• ISBN13: 9780738201719
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Solid foundation, shaky building

The first 162 pages of this book are great. Steele could spin them off into a short textbook. The explanations of antibody diversity, gene rearrangement and hypermutation are really very good. The rest is a little hard to believe, and where the immune system is concerned doesn't even make sense. Adaptability and variability, not hard-coding, are key to the immune response, so it seems that what he proposes--that learned responses could be passed back into germ-line DNA--wouldn't even be benficial if it were to turn out to be true considering the rate at which most pathogens mutate. But, let the experts address that question. For an overview of antibody production, this is done well.

yet another surprise from nature

A book requiring remarckable courage in the orthodox scientific climate of today, given that Darwinian evolution is generally accepted and most views contrary are considered virtual heresy. The possibility of the passing on of acquired characteristics from a parent to an offspring was first proposed by Lamarck some 200 years ago. This new book suggests from experimental evidence gathered over decades that it is possible for immune functions to be passed from parent to offspring this prceeds via retroviruses being able to infect sex cells such as sperm and ovum. Certainly not an unreasonable possibility and given the strong evidence shown in the book not to be passed over lightly. Although the technical details of the biochemistry involved are at times heavy going the authors attempt to alleviate this through a useful glossary and explanations when necessary. Not easy to follow but worth the effort. The book certainly asks some major questions of accepted dogma.Once again this book highlights that just when the accepted authorities are fixed and comfortable in their domain along comes something to surprise them and everyone, nature just can't stop being creative and interesting can it.

Daring and instructive

A book based on new scientific knowledge, not vague old ideas. The authors put forward precise statements and hypotheses about inheritance of acquired immunity. I find it very instructive for its vulgarization of molecular genetics and of the functioning of the immune system, which is not easy to find elsewhere. I also like its openness and its boldness, which will certainly be attractive for all inquisitive minds.

Exciting new biology

While the hard science which constitues the heart of this book may not be easy going for most readers, the payoff is worth it. Dr. Steele's "unorthodox" ideas have been met with some hostility since the 1970s. The evidence for a Lamarckian mechanism at work in the immune system now seems very convincing, contradicting one of the main dogmas of Darwinian biology. This book presents the experimental evidence to date as to how adaptive immune responses may be incorporated into the DNA of the organism, thus making them heritable material. If the retrogene mechanism is at work in the immune system what other roles might it be playing in evolution? A huge question for our current understanding of evolution.