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Skepticism has been expressed on Conservapedia about your claims, and the significance of your claims, that E. Coli bacteria had an [[evolution|evolutionary]] beneficial mutation in your study. Specifically, we wonder about the data supporting your claim that one of your colonies of E. Coli developed the ability to absorb citrate, something not found in wild E. Coli, at around 31,500 generations. In addition, there is skepticism that 3 new and useful proteins appeared in the colony around generation 20,000.  A recent article about your claims appears in New Scientist here: http://web.archive.org/web/20110513145829/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14094-bacteria-make-major-evolutionary-shift-in-the-lab.html

Skepticism has been expressed on Conservapedia about your claims, and the significance of your claims, that E. Coli bacteria had an [[evolution|evolutionary]] beneficial mutation in your study. Specifically, we wonder about the data supporting your claim that one of your colonies of E. Coli developed the ability to absorb citrate, something not found in wild E. Coli, at around 31,500 generations. In addition, there is skepticism that 3 new and useful proteins appeared in the colony around generation 20,000.  A recent article about your claims appears in New Scientist here: http://web.archive.org/web/20110513145829/http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14094-bacteria-make-major-evolutionary-shift-in-the-lab.html

Submission guidelines for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science state that "(viii) Materials and Data Availability. To allow others to replicate and build on work published in PNAS, authors must make materials, data, and associated protocols available to readers. Authors must disclose upon submission of the manuscript any restrictions on the availability of materials or information."  Also, your work was apparently funded by taxpayers, providing further reason for making the data publicly available.

Submission guidelines for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science state that "(viii) Materials and Data Availability. To allow others to replicate and build on work published in PNAS, authors must make materials, data, and associated protocols available to readers. Authors must disclose upon submission of the manuscript any restrictions on the availability of materials or information."  Also, your work was apparently funded by taxpayers, providing further reason for making the data publicly available.