Comments on: Genetic flip produces two plants for the price of one

By: Stan

Stan — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:40:03 +0000

Very interesting report. Presumably the larger the inverted chunk, the greater the risk of deleterious effects? I’m curious about the size limits of inversions that have been identified to date.

Also, although I understand the usefulness of shortcut phrases like “wrong order” and “wrong orientation”, I think they’re misleading and could be avoided.

By: Eleanor

Eleanor — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:03:58 +0000

As far as I understand it, the two types can be interbred, it’s only the flipped section of the genome which doesn’t recombine. So gene flow between the two is fully possible, hence they would more commonly not be referred to as species.

By: Razib Khan

Razib Khan — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:37:15 +0000

If they are already genetically isolated from each other in nature, shouldn’t they already qualify as separate species?

google the term “species concept.” there’s no clarity in this domain….

By: amphiox

amphiox — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:24:14 +0000

If they are already genetically isolated from each other in nature, shouldn’t they already qualify as separate species?

By: Adrian Morgan

Adrian Morgan — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:05:22 +0000

My brain, not yet finished its first coffee for the morning, currently finds the bit about the discovery of scientists in 1921 notably amusing.

Interesting article, though I must say that .em ot evitiutninu yrev si esu yna fo eb nac AND detrevni taht aedi ehT