Changes

:This is fairly basic microbiology and genetics.  There is a limited, but large, amount of information in a genome.  Mutation over time allows for novel genes (and their products).  It takes many, many generations, as non-lethal mutations are not frequent.  The individual bacteria did not "adapt"--they either divided or died.  If they survived to divide, the information in their genome was replicated via binary fission/mitosis and the two daughter cells in turn did the same.  INDIVIDUAL CELLS DID NOT ADAPT TO THE ENVIRONMENT, THE POPULATION DID.  If the population is moved out of a nylon-only environment, or any other environment with different selective pressures, the population either adapts as above, or dies out. [[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 14:34, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

:This is fairly basic microbiology and genetics.  There is a limited, but large, amount of information in a genome.  Mutation over time allows for novel genes (and their products).  It takes many, many generations, as non-lethal mutations are not frequent.  The individual bacteria did not "adapt"--they either divided or died.  If they survived to divide, the information in their genome was replicated via binary fission/mitosis and the two daughter cells in turn did the same.  INDIVIDUAL CELLS DID NOT ADAPT TO THE ENVIRONMENT, THE POPULATION DID.  If the population is moved out of a nylon-only environment, or any other environment with different selective pressures, the population either adapts as above, or dies out. [[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 14:34, 23 March 2007 (EDT)