@article{c878d9a3a8f04b449fa6e0d0711bc3c6,
title = "Mutationism, not Lamarckism, captures the novelty of CRISPR–Cas",
abstract = "Koonin, in an article in this issue, claims that CRISPR–Cas systems are mechanisms for the inheritance of acquired adaptive characteristics, and that the operation of such systems comprises a “Lamarckian mode of evolution.” We argue that viewing the CRISPR–Cas mechanism as facilitating a form of “directed mutation” more accurately represents how the system behaves and the history of neoDarwinian thinking, and is to be preferred.",
keywords = "CRISPR–Cas, Directed mutation, Evolution, Lamarckian, Mutationism",
author = "Wideman, {Jeremy G.} and Inkpen, {S. Andrew} and Doolittle, {W. Ford} and Redfield, {Rosemary J.}",
note = "Funding Information: Funding was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Grant No. GLDSU447989). Funding Information: Fig. 2 Schematic continuum of mutation mechanisms with varying degrees of directedness. Widths of mutation bubble plots represent proportion of mutation conferring harmful/beneficial effects. In general, mutations that are more directed are more likely to be beneficial. Example types of mutations in each category: Random: Base-pairing errors, DNA damage (Methyl-C deamination, 8-oxyG pairing), insertion– deletion errors not associated with short repeats, and break/rejoin errors in DNA repair. Site-specific, undirected: deletions, duplications, and inversions promoted by non-tandem direct repeats Site-specific directed: slippage at short tandem repeats in DNA replication (random or {\textquoteleft}contingency loci{\textquoteright}), molecular switches (e.g. protein-catalyzed inversion of a control segment), promoted recombination that moves one of many silent cell-surface alleles into an {\textquoteleft}expression{\textquoteright} locus (e.g. trypanosome antigen switching, Neisseria pilus variation), hypermutation of immune-system genes by cytosine deamination. Directed by selfish elements: insertions/excisions of mobile elements, plasmids, and prophages, {\textquoteleft}adjacent deletions{\textquoteright} caused by transposases. Niche-specific Lateral Gene Transfer. Human-directed: All forms of genetic engineering, including GMOs and germ-line gene therapy Acknowledgements Funding was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Grant No. GLDSU447989). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019, Springer Nature B.V.",
year = "2019",
month = feb,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1007/s10539-018-9659-6",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "34",
journal = "Biology and Philosophy",
issn = "0169-3867",
publisher = "Springer Netherlands",
number = "1",
}