How good is our genome?

 Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences
fobike://rsl/rtb
January 29, 2004, vol. 359, no. 1441,   pp. 95-98(4)
l/rtb/2004/00000359/00001441
Weill J-C.[1]; Radman M.[1]

[1] Faculte de Medecine Necker Enfants-Malades, Université de Paris-V,
Paris, France

Abstract:
Our genome has evolved to perpetuate itself through the maintenance of the
species via an uninterrupted chain of reproductive somas. Accordingly,
evolution is not concerned with diseases occurring after the soma's
reproductive stage. Following Richard Dawkins, we would like to reassert
that we indeed live as disposable somas, slaves of our germline genome, but
could soon start rebelling against such slavery. Cancer and its relation to
the TP53 gene may offer a paradigmatic example. The observation that the
latency period in cancer can be prolonged in mice by increasing the number
of TP53 genes in their genome, suggests that sooner or later we will have to
address the question of heritable disease avoidance via the manipulation of
the human germline.

Keywords: evolution; germline modification; cancer; latency; p53

Document Type: Research article ISSN: 0962-8436

DOI (article): 10.1098/rstb.2003.1369
SICI (online): 0962-8436(20040129)359:1441L.95;1-
Publisher:     Royal Society

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