It is always a nice feeling to have a paper published, especially when it is a first paper for a student. It is an even nicer feeling when that paper is featured on the journal cover (i.e., when you submit a cool picture that the editor likes). As it happens, two of our papers appeared on covers in the last month, joining two that I had before.
Oh my.
Bacteria can anticipate a future event and prepare for it, according to new research at the Weizmann Institute of Science. In a paper that appeared today in Nature, Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel, doctoral student Amir Mitchell and research associate Dr. Orna Dahan of the Institute's Molecular Genetics Department, together with Prof. Martin Kupiec and Gal Romano of Tel Aviv University, examined microorganisms living in environments that change in predictable ways. Their findings show that these microorganisms' genetic networks are hard-wired to 'foresee' what comes next in the sequence of events and begin responding to the new state of affairs before its onset. E. coli bacteria, for instance, which normally cruise harmlessly down the digestive tract, encounter a number of different environments on their way. In particular, they find that one type of sugar – lactose – is invariably followed by a second sugar – maltose – soon afterward. Pilpel and his team of the Molecular Genetics Department, checked the bacterium's genetic response to lactose, and found that, in addition to the genes that enable it to digest lactose, the gene network for utilizing maltose was partially activated. When they switched the order of the sugars, giving the bacteria maltose first, there was no corresponding activation of lactose genes, implying that bacteria have naturally 'learned' to get ready for a serving of maltose after a lactose appetizer.
Another microorganism that experiences consistent changes is wine yeast. As fermentation progresses, sugar and acidity levels change, alcohol levels rise, and the yeast's environment heats up. Although the system was somewhat more complicated that that of E. coli, the scientists found that when the wine yeast feel the heat, they begin activating genes for dealing with the stresses of the next stage. Further analysis showed that this anticipation and early response is an evolutionary adaptation that increases the organism's chances of survival.
Ivan Pavlov first demonstrated this type of adaptive anticipation, known as a conditioned response, in dogs in the 1890s. He trained the dogs to salivate in response to a stimulus by repeatedly ringing a bell before giving them food. In the microorganisms, says Pilpel, 'evolution over many generations replaces conditioned learning, but the end result is similar.' 'In both evolution and learning,' says Mitchell, 'the organism adapts its responses to environmental cues, improving its ability to survive.'
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/06/17/israeli.scientists.show.bacteria.can.plan.ahead
There has been some discussion in the comments section of the previous post about probable interest in a regular EvoCast (cf. Astronomy Cast) that people could listen to, presented by evolutionary biologists and covering basic processes and exciting discoveries in evolution. This, or something like a series of videos on Youtube, has crossed my mind. It would certainly fit nicely between Evolver Zone and E:EO. The question is, would this really be something people are keen to see? If I get the sense that there is a real interest in it, I may just follow up on it (though I already have plenty on my plate with the journal and other writing).
Let me know what you think!
Various bloggers on my must-read list have weighed in on the latest issue of Evolution: Education and Outreach, which focuses on transitional fossils (guest editor, Don Prothero). It is great to see the articles being discussed and recommended. A couple of minor responses to the apt comments (not criticisms per se, or at least mostly constructive ones).
@ Sandwalk: Larry is absolutely right that I did not get into the role of drift alongside natural selection in any significant way. This is a more advanced subject that will be covered in a follow-up article "What natural selection does and does not do".
@ Laelaps: Why no humans? Special issue unto itself coming.
@ Pharyngula: Articles are not really useful for talking with creationists. I agree, but the target audience is teachers, students, postsecondary educators, researchers, and interested laypeople. That said, an article on effective strategies for entering into reasoned discussions with creationist proponents would be appropriate and welcome.
One of my graduate students has launched a new blog called The Mobilome. As he describes it in his inaugural post,
The goal of this blog is to spread the word about how cool TEs and other parasitic nucleic acids are by talking about interesting elements, papers both old and new and perhaps some educational posts about what TEs in general and why they are important to understand.He is a voracious reader of the TE literature -- heck, his initials are T.E. -- so you know this is going to be very interesting...
The latest issue of Evolution: Education and Outreach is now online. This is a special issue on transitional forms edited by Don Prothero, author of Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters. The papers are available without charge. Remember to also check out the special issue on the evolution of eyes edited by yours truly from last year.
Evolution: Education and Outreach
Vol 2, Iss 2
Editorials
Editorial
Niles Eldredge and Gregory Eldredge
A Question of Individuality: Charles Darwin, George Gaylord Simpson and Transitional Fossils
Niles Eldredge
Evolutionary Concepts
Understanding Natural Selection: Essential Concepts and Common Misconceptions
T. Ryan Gregory
Special Issue on Transitional Fossils
Introduction
Donald R. Prothero
Palaeontological and Molecular Evidence Linking Arthropods, Onychophorans, and other Ecdysozoa
Gregory D. Edgecombe
Monoplacophorans and the Origin and Relationships of Mollusks
David R. Lindberg
The Evolutionary Emergence of Vertebrates From Among Their Spineless Relatives
Philip C. J. Donoghue and Mark A. Purnell
The Fish-Tetrapod Transition: New Fossils and Interpretations
Jennifer A. Clack
The Evolution of Marine Reptiles
Ryosuke Motani
Evolutionary Transitions Among Dinosaurs: Examples from the Jurassic of China
James M. Clark and Xing Xu
Downsized Dinosaurs: The Evolutionary Transition to Modern Birds
Luis M. Chiappe
Dimetrodon Is Not a Dinosaur: Using Tree Thinking to Understand the Ancient Relatives of Mammals and their Evolution
Kenneth D. Angielczyk
From Land to Water: the Origin of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises
J. G. M. Thewissen, Lisa Noelle Cooper, John C. George and Sunil Bajpai
Evolutionary Transitions in the Fossil Record of Terrestrial Hoofed Mammals
Donald R. Prothero
Educational Papers
A Name by Any Other Tree
Anastasia Thanukos
Transforming Our Thinking about Transitional Forms
Louise S. Mead
Access to Evolution
Lara Eldredge
News
Paleontology and Evolution in the News
Sidney Horenstein
Book Reviews
The Charms of Nature: Darwin on Meaning and Value
Darwin Loves You: Natural Selection and the Re-enchantment of the World, by George Levine. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006. pp. xxiii + 304, s/b $18.95
Adam M. Goldstein
Illuminating Charles Darwin’s Morality: Slavery, Humanity’s Origin and Unity, and Darwin’s Evolutionary Theory
Adrian Desmond and James Moore, Darwin’s Sacred Cause: How a Hatred of Slavery Shaped Darwin’s Views on Human Evolution. Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009. Pp. xxi + 485. H/b $30.00
Joel Schwartz
Your Inner Fish
Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body, by Neil Shubin. Pantheon Books, 2008, 229 pages
Michael Gaspar
Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while will know that my father and stepmother have relocated to Livingstone, Zambia where they are creating a musical theatre program to employ local performers and generate revenue for the community [Webpage / Blog / RSS]. I am very pleased to note that they are now at the point of performing the show.
As a side project, they have also been raising money to help support the Linda West Basic School. This includes installing toilets, painting, drilling a new well, and opening a library. In addition, they have been raising donations to cover uniform and school fees for orphaned kids. What I like most about this is that they are actually there and they know these kids, plus the fact that 100% of the money goes directly to the intended recipient. Along those lines, I thought I'd share an email that my Dad sent to me a couple of days ago.
Warning: may bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your face.
I'm so pleased to finally introduce you to the young students who are now enrolled in Linda West Basic School in Livingstone, thanks to your sponsorship. I'm meeting next week to select some older kids and will let you know about the other two you are helping as soon as I meet up with them.Love you and miss you too.
In any event, yesterday, I met all the kids being sponsored at Linda West and we handed out new school uniforms and books, pens, etc. to each child. The girls each received two dresses and the boys each got two shirts, one pair of shorts, and one pair of pants. Next week we will outfit them with shoes.
[JS] is a real sweetheart and she was thrilled to get her new dress. Notice how she is holding it out in the picture. She was eager to ask how this was all possible and couldn't believe that she would be returning to school. I think "friends in Canada" is something she did figure out but maybe didn't even know she had any friends in Canada until now.
[JS] is 12 years old and in Grade 5. She is what is termed a "double orphan" because both her parents have died. She currently lives with her grandfather who has been unable to pay the school fees and uniform costs. She just kept coming to school anyway and eventually the teachers just let her sit in class. Still, it isn't the same when you don't dress the same as the others and know you might not be able to continue. She said she likes to sing and play games. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher or a "business lady".
[MK] never stopped smiling after he put on his new shorts and shirt. What a beautiful face he has. How can this 11 year old be so spirited after losing both his parents at such a young age? He lives with his grandmother in Linda Compound which is close to where we live so I will see if I can find out more about his living arrangement. Most of the buildings in Linda Compound are one room cement structure often housing several children and adults. That's the Compound where I donated soccer balls and uniforms and now see about 100 kids playing on the field every weekend.[MK]'s teachers said he was a "keener' and loved to read when he was in school before. I'm sure he'll like the new library we're opening at the end this month at Linda West. He told me he likes gymnastics and wants to be a soldier or policeman when he grows up. I'll have to see if his dad was a cop or something.
If you write to either of these kids Marilyn and I will deliver your correspondence. If you have any specific questions about either child just let us know and we'll find out the answers.
Thanks again for your wonderful gift.
Love you. Miss you.
DAD & Marilyn
Following in the tradition of Zimmer's The Loom, Wilkins's Evolving Thoughts has left ScienceBlogs for more suitable habitat. Be sure to update your links.
