Re: "The Phenogenetic Logic of Life"

[Jack Park <***>]

The author's papers are listed here
http://www.anthro.psu.edu/weiss_lab/index.html
There is a suggestion that if you write to him (address on the page), he 
might be able to send you a pdf copy, perhaps of this paper as well.
Jack

Tim Gwinn wrote:

> Hi all,
> I don't have a subscription to Nature Genetics, but the abstract (see 
> below) of the following review looked interesting:
> http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nrg/journal/v6/n1/abs/nrg1502_fs.html
> If anyone has a subscription and finds this article relevant to our 
> list, please let us know.
> Tim
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> /Nature Reviews Genetics/ *6*, 36-45 (2005); doi:10.1038/nrg1502
>
> *THE PHENOGENETIC LOGIC OF LIFE*
>
> *Kenneth M. Weiss*
>
>
>       Abstract
>
> *For nearly a century we have understood that life works through 
> genes, and so have had an elegant theory for general evolution. But 
> this did not explain the kinds of traits that characterize organisms, 
> nor how genes produce them. Advances in recent decades have opened the 
> way for an understanding of the phenogenetic logic or relational 
> principles of life, by which a few basic characteristics of genomes 
> produce biological phenotypes through some basic developmental 
> processes. This logic provides a general explanation of the nature and 
> source of organismal design, and a powerful programme for research.*
>
>
>       Summary
>
>     * There are parallels between Darwinian evolution — a history of
>       individuals — and development — a history of cells within
>       individuals.
>     * Darwin's theory explained how traits occur but not which traits
>       will occur or their phenogenetics; that is, how genes produce
>       biological traits.
>     * A key to these principles is their logic: they are relational
>       principles that depend on the interaction of components, rather
>       than the specific physical attributes of the components themselves.
>     * Phenogenetic logic comprises a small number of basic and simple
>       characteristics of genomes, which can help to account for the
>       diversity of biological traits through a few basic developmental
>       processes.
>     * Fundamental to phenogenetics are duplication, modularity, the
>       hierarchical organization and partial sequestration of
>       components, inductive patterning — including dynamic repetitive
>       patterning — the use of diverse types of arbitrary codes, and
>       various kinds of budding and branching phenomena.
>     * These principles are fundamental to the nature of life, and have
>       operational value for understanding life and for experimental as
>       well as evolutionary biology.
>     * This review is an attempt to identify the elements of
>       phenogenetic logic and to synthesize their role in the
>       generating biological traits.
>     * Together, the symmetries of evolutionary processes and
>       phenogenetic logic provide an elegant, simple and comprehensive
>       view of the organization of life.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------