Lamarck and Panspermia - On the Efficient Spread of Living Systems Throughout the Cosmos

Publication date: Available online 22 August 2019Source: Progress in Biophysics and Molecular BiologyAuthor(s): Edward J. Steele, Reginald M. Gorczynski, Robyn A. Lindley, Yongsheng Liu, Robert Temple, Gensuke Tokoro, Dayal T. Wickramasinghe, N. Chandra WickramasingheAbstractWe review the main lines of evidence (molecular, cellular and whole organism) published since the 1970s demonstrating Lamarckian Inheritance in animals, plants and microorganisms viz. the transgenerational inheritance of environmentally-induced acquired characteristics. The studies in animals demonstrate the genetic permeability of the soma-germline Weismann Barrier. The widespread nature of environmentally-directed inheritance phenomena reviewed here contradicts a key pillar of neo-Darwinism which affirms the rigidity of the Weismann Barrier. These developments suggest that neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory is in need of significant revision. We argue that Lamarckian inheritance strategies involving environmentally- induced rapid directional genetic adaptations make biological sense in the context of cosmic Panspermia allowing the efficient spread of living systems and genetic innovation throughout the Universe. The Hoyle-Wickramasinghe Panspermia paradigm also developed since the 1970s, unlike strictly geocentric neo-Darwinism provides a cogent biological rationale for the actual widespread existence of Lamarckian modes of inheritance - it provides its raison d'être. Under a terrestrially confined neo-...
Source: Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research