"Guy Hoelzer"  wrote in message
news:ciaksj$311n$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org...
> in article ci9ngq$2o58$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org, Anthony
Cerrato at
> tcerrato{at}optonline.net wrote on 9/15/04 8:35 AM:
>
> > Yes, to both you and Tom. Another way of talking 'bout
it
> > though, other than in terms of raw materials, is what's
> > replicated is the blueprint for the structure which will
be
> > the organism (house), including (stapled to) the work
> > flow-sheets (work-plans) for building it. Note, this
> > automatically includes any accidents (mutations,
external
> > physical damage etc.) which occur to the blueprint, or
the
> > work-staff, prior to, and during, the building process.
> > Thus, workmen spilling their morning coffee on the plans
is
> > already pre-accounted for (and even expected at times.)
>
> This is a useful metaphor in many contexts, but the genome
is clearly not a
> blueprint because it does not contain structural plans or
any where near the
> information needed to build an organism.  You might say
that the combination
> of the genome with existing cellular machinery encodes
specific RNA
> molecules and regulatory mechanisms of gene expression,
but we will never be
> able to read an unknown genome in isolation (i.e., without
using comparative
> genomics from organisms with known phenotypes) and predict
what the adult
> organism will look like because too much of the
information contained in the
> organismal structure is not there in the genome.

OK, you're saying you can't use the blueprint to build a new
house without using an old house as the office. :)
Hmm...the infinite recursion here bothers me a little
though...chicken and the egg? It begs for an answer to the
question, how was the
first animal in the genetic line built...? Perhaps using the
blueprint for a smaller "starter house" or flimsy summer
bungalow or hut? But, still ad infinitum...  :)

I might modify the original analogy to add that this is
further analogous to the need, with blueprints, for the
workers to have the reading and measurement skills, and
proper raw materials, prior to executing the building
process. In any event, you must admit, no analogy whatsoever
is perfect--of necessity. Must go--sudden desire for fried
eggs and chicken! to heck with the specific order!
.....tonyC

> Guy
>
>
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