Mike Carrell wrote:
From: "Jed Rothwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: OFF TOPIC Chimpanzee genome decoded
Just like us, almost. See:
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,68706,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_10
QUOTE:
"[Human and chimp] DNA remains highly similar -- about 96 percent to
almost
99 percent identical, depending on how the comparison is made.
I think what is talked about here are the genes, which comprise only a quite
small portion of the actual DNA, the rest once regarded as "junk", not
conserved, and so used for individual identification. I have seen mention
that the genes encode for the proteins common throughout many species as
"building material", and the "junk" is the much more complex assembly
instructions on how to make a human or a chimp. We eat the building material
provided by other organisms, and rearrange it accoring to our own building
plans.
Mike Carrell
Mike's right but there is another reason why the genes are similar. With
a limited number of biologically active chemicals and thus a limited
number of stable amino acids; there are thus also a limited number of
peptide and protein active geometries possible. If you want to break a
carbon hydrogen bond and make a carbon nitrogen bond with a hydrogen and
a hydroxyl attached to the nitrogen there are perhaps only a few amino
acid geometries available. Since DNA must code for them in a specific
way the code winds up the same even if they are completely different in
origin. The evolutionist argument that such similarities indicate linage
is not as robust if there are limited options. Also the creationist
argument that such similarities indicate a common designer is equally
weakened if the designer is limited, or limits himself to, working
within the framework defined by chemical bonds.
