Difference between revisions of "Nylon-eating bacteria"
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Sp. K172, a strain of [[Flavobacterium]], is a species of '''nylon-eating bacteria''' discovered in ponds that contained factory waste. What made this [[bacteria]] significant was that the [[enzyme]]s they used to digest the factory waste (now known as [[nylonase]]) were unique to the particular strain.<ref>Kinoshita, S., Kageyama, S., Iba, K., Yamada, Y. and Okada, H. 1981</ref><ref>http://www.nmsr.org/nylon.htm</ref> An analysis of the [[genome]] suggests that the [[mutation]] that created this strain was a [[frame shift]] (for example mutating the word 'mutate' to 'mtate') and [[gene]] duplication.<ref>http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=345072</ref> | Sp. K172, a strain of [[Flavobacterium]], is a species of '''nylon-eating bacteria''' discovered in ponds that contained factory waste. What made this [[bacteria]] significant was that the [[enzyme]]s they used to digest the factory waste (now known as [[nylonase]]) were unique to the particular strain.<ref>Kinoshita, S., Kageyama, S., Iba, K., Yamada, Y. and Okada, H. 1981</ref><ref>http://www.nmsr.org/nylon.htm</ref> An analysis of the [[genome]] suggests that the [[mutation]] that created this strain was a [[frame shift]] (for example mutating the word 'mutate' to 'mtate') and [[gene]] duplication.<ref>http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=345072</ref> | ||
| − | Since that time, Sp. K172 has been a central point of contention between the supporters of [[evolution]] and critics such as proponents of [[Intelligent | + | Since that time, Sp. K172 has been a central point of contention between the supporters of [[evolution]] and critics such as proponents of [[Intelligent Design]] and some forms of [[Creationism]]. Mainstream [[scientist]]s have pointed it out as an example of how mutations can create new information and new functions, something many creationists and ID proponents claim cannot be done. Creationists and [[Intelligent design|intelligent design]] proponents contend that the [[bacteria]] in question cannot be adequately explained by the [[Theory of evolution|evolutionary view]] and instead claim that the bacterial [[plasmids]] were designed to be able to accommodate new [[food]] sources. <ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v17/i3/bacteria.asp</ref> |
Revision as of 19:26, April 26, 2007
Sp. K172, a strain of Flavobacterium, is a species of nylon-eating bacteria discovered in ponds that contained factory waste. What made this bacteria significant was that the enzymes they used to digest the factory waste (now known as nylonase) were unique to the particular strain.[1][2] An analysis of the genome suggests that the mutation that created this strain was a frame shift (for example mutating the word 'mutate' to 'mtate') and gene duplication.[3]
Since that time, Sp. K172 has been a central point of contention between the supporters of evolution and critics such as proponents of Intelligent Design and some forms of Creationism. Mainstream scientists have pointed it out as an example of how mutations can create new information and new functions, something many creationists and ID proponents claim cannot be done. Creationists and intelligent design proponents contend that the bacteria in question cannot be adequately explained by the evolutionary view and instead claim that the bacterial plasmids were designed to be able to accommodate new food sources. [4]
References
- ↑ Kinoshita, S., Kageyama, S., Iba, K., Yamada, Y. and Okada, H. 1981
- ↑ http://www.nmsr.org/nylon.htm
- ↑ http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=345072
- ↑ http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v17/i3/bacteria.asp