Panspermia and horizontal gene transfer

Brig Klyce

doi:10.1117/12.832049

11 September 2009 Panspermia and horizontal gene transfer

Brig Klyce

Proceedings Volume 7441, Instruments and Methods for Astrobiology and Planetary Missions XII; 74410T (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.832049
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2009, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Evidence that extremophiles are hardy and ubiquitous is helping to make panspermia a respectable theory. But even if life on Earth originally came from space, biologists assume that the subsequent evolution of life is still governed by the darwinian paradigm. In this review we show how panspermia could amend darwinism and point to a cosmic source for, not only extremophiles but, all of life. This version of panspermia can be called "strong panspermia." To support this theory we will discuss recent evidence pertaining to horizontal gene transfer, viruses, genes apparently older than the Earthly evolution of the features they encode, and primate-specific genes without identifiable precursors.

Citation Download Citation

Brig Klyce "Panspermia and horizontal gene transfer", Proc. SPIE 7441, Instruments and Methods for Astrobiology and Planetary Missions XII, 74410T (11 September 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.832049

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