Selfish genes, the phenotype paradigm and genome evolution.

Nature ·Vol. 284 ·No. 5757 ·1980-04-17 ·Pages 601-3

Doolittle WF, Sapienza C

Abstract

Natural selection operating within genomes will inevitably result in the appearance of DNAs with no phenotypic expression whose only 'function' is survival within genomes. Prokaryotic transposable elements and eukaryotic middle-repetitive sequences can be seen as such DNA's and thus no phenotypic or evolutionary function need be assigned to them.

MeSH Terms

Base Sequence Biological Evolution Cell Physiological Phenomena DNA/genetics DNA Transposable Elements DNA, Bacterial/genetics DNA, Fungal/genetics Eukaryotic Cells/physiology Phenotype Selection, Genetic

Chemicals

DNA Transposable Elements DNA, Bacterial DNA, Fungal DNA

Authors & Affiliations

2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Doolittle W F

Sapienza C

Article Info

Journal

Nature

Abbr.

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

DOI

10.1038/284601a0

Published

1980-04-17

Pages

601-3

Language

English

Region

England

NLM ID

0410462

Subset

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/284601a0 View journal details

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