The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes

CREATION NARRATIVE: THE THIRD GENESIS

"The origin of eukaryotes is a huge enigma and a major challenge for evolutionary biology."

Eugene V. Koonin, NIH (2010)

ParameciumDavid C. BossardChapter 8

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The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes

CREATION NARRATIVE: THE THIRD GENESIS Cont.

Superficial differences from bacteria (prokaryotes):

• A nucleus – think of an egg yolk

• Larger size – 50x larger on average

• Greater variety of shapes – Bacteria are balloon-shaped

… these are just markers for fundamental differences. 2

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The Third Genesis: Creation of EukaryotesCREATION NARRATIVE: THE THIRD GENESIS Cont.

Differences in more depth: The Nucleus protects DNA by physical isolation and by error

correction while copying genes (more than bacteria)

DNA in Chromosomes, not circular as in bacteria

Invention of Mitosis (asexual) and Meiosis (sexual)cell duplication. Complex; All eukaryotes have both.

David C. BossardChapter 8 4

The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes

ORGANELLES

CREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS

The Nucleus is one of several organelles in a eukaryote: Mitochondria – The power plant (make

ATP) Endoplastic Reticulum – The factory Golgi Apparatus - The post office (+ others that depend on the cell's

function)

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The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes

Innovations:Internal structure – the cytoskeleton

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS

Eukaryote cytoskeleton (From Wikipedia)Blue = nucleus; green  = microtubules; red = microfiliaments 6

The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes

Innovations:Internal structure – the cytoskeleton

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS

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The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes

Internal structure – Motor transport system (Kinesin)

CREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS

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The Creation of Plants and Animals

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

"The magnates walk first*."Hugh Miller (1858)

"We know, further, so far at least as we have yet succeeded in deciphering the record, -- that the several dynasties were introduced, not in their lower, but in their higher forms; that, in short, in the imposing programme of creation it was arranged, as a general rule, that in each of the great divisions of the procession the magnates should walk first."

Hugh Miller, Footprints of the Creator (3rd. Ed. (1858) p. 325)

David C. BossardMagnates Walk First

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The Creation of Plants and Animals

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

"The magnates walk first*."Hugh Miller (1858)

"We know, further, so far at least as we have yet succeeded in deciphering the record, -- that the several dynasties were introduced, not in their lower, but in their higher forms; that, in short, in the imposing programme of creation it was arranged, as a general rule, that in each of the great divisions of the procession the magnates should walk first."

Hugh Miller, Footprints of the Creator (3rd. Ed. (1858) p. 325)

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The Creation of Plants and Animals

CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

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The Creation of Animals

CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Most marine animal phyla (body plans) appear in the Cambrian Era (around 525 Mya). This was when the homeobox genes were invented.

Homeobox genes "invented"– regulate patterns of anatomical

development(eyes, appendages, etc.)

David C. BossardAlgorithms

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The Creation of Plants

CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Spores give Earliest Evidence of (multi-cellular)

ca. 470 My ago

Spore Tetrads (Devonian, ca. 410 Mya)David C. BossardChapter 10

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The Creation of Plants

CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Earliest Plant Fossils – Cooksonia, Ca. 416 Mya.

Cooksonia ca. 416 Mya Rhynia ca. 400 MyaDavid C. BossardChapter 10

Ejecting sperm cells

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The Creation of Plants

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

The Creation of Plants

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Most plant phyla (body plans) appear in the Devonian Age(around 410-350 Mya) after completion of the ozone layer.

David C. BossardChapter 10 Devonian Scene Carboniferous Scene 15

RECAPTHE CREATION NARRATIVE

Achievements of the past 60 years:• Big Bang Cosmology

• Age of Universe• How Primordial Matter formed

• Origin of the Elements (B2FH)• Earth's Origin• Biosphere's Formation & Dependence on Life• Geologic Evidence of Life

• Carbon Evidence -- earliest Life* Fossil Narrative of Speciation and Development

• Genetic Narrative• Central Dogma• Gene Sequencing• Implication for Species Relationships

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THE END

CREATION NARRATIVECREATION NARRATIVE – CONCLUSIONS

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