CREATION NARRATIVE: THE THIRD GENESIS
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
"The origin of eukaryotes is a huge enigma and a major
challenge for evolutionary biology."
Eugene V. Koonin, NIH (2010)
David C. Bossard
Chapter 8
Paramecium
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CREATION NARRATIVE: THE THIRD GENESIS Cont.
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
Superficial differences from bacteria (prokaryotes):
• A nucleus – think of an egg yolk
• Larger size – 50x larger on average
• Greater variety of shapes – Bacteria are balloon-shaped
… these are just markers for fundamental differences.
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CREATION NARRATIVE: THE THIRD GENESIS Cont.
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
Differences in more depth:
 The Nucleus protects DNA by physical isolation and by error
correction while copying genes (more than bacteria)
 DNA in Chromosomes, not circular as in bacteria
 Invention of Mitosis (asexual) and Meiosis (sexual)
cell duplication. Complex; All eukaryotes have both.
David C. Bossard
Chapter 8
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CREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
ORGANELLES
The Nucleus is one of several organelles in a eukaryote:
 Mitochondria – The power plant (make ATP)
 Endoplastic Reticulum – The factory
 Golgi Apparatus - The post office
 (+ others that depend on the cell's function)
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CREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
Innovations:
Internal structure – the cytoskeleton
Eukaryote cytoskeleton (From Wikipedia)
Blue = nucleus; green = microtubules; red = microfiliaments
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CREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
Innovations:
Internal structure – the cytoskeleton
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CREATION NARRATIVE – EUKARYOTE INNOVATIONS
The Third Genesis: Creation of Eukaryotes
Internal structure – Motor transport system (Kinesin)
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Plants and Animals
"The magnates walk first*."
Hugh Miller (1858)
"We know, further, so far at least as we have yet succeeded in
deciphering the record, -- that the several dynasties were
introduced, not in their lower, but in their higher forms; that, in
short, in the imposing programme of creation it was arranged,
as a general rule, that in each of the great divisions of the
procession the magnates should walk first."
Hugh Miller, Footprints of the Creator (3rd. Ed. (1858) p. 325)
David C. Bossard
Magnates Walk First
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Plants and Animals
"The magnates walk first*."
Hugh Miller (1858)
"We know, further, so far at least as we have yet succeeded in
deciphering the record, -- that the several dynasties were
introduced, not in their lower, but in their higher forms; that, in
short, in the imposing programme of creation it was arranged,
as a general rule, that in each of the great divisions of the
procession the magnates should walk first."
Hugh Miller, Footprints of the Creator (3rd. Ed. (1858) p. 325)
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Plants and Animals
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Animals
Most marine animal phyla (body plans) appear in the
Cambrian Era (around 525 Mya). This was when the
homeobox genes were invented.
 Homeobox genes "invented"
– regulate patterns of anatomical development
(eyes, appendages, etc.)
David C. Bossard
Algorithms
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Plants
Spores give Earliest Evidence of (multi-cellular)
 ca. 470 My ago
David C. Bossard
Chapter 10
Spore Tetrads (Devonian, ca. 410 Mya)
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Plants
 Earliest Plant Fossils – Cooksonia, Ca. 416 Mya.
Cooksonia ca. 416 Mya
David C. Bossard
Chapter 10
Rhynia ca. 400 Mya
Ejecting sperm cells
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CREATION NARRATIVE – PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The Creation of Plants
Most plant phyla (body plans) appear in the Devonian
Age(around 410-350 Mya) after completion of the ozone
layer.
David C. Bossard
Chapter 10
Devonian Scene
Carboniferous Scene
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RECAP
THE CREATION NARRATIVE
Achievements of the past 60 years:
• Big Bang Cosmology
• Age of Universe
• How Primordial Matter formed
• Origin of the Elements (B2FH)
• Earth's Origin
• Biosphere's Formation & Dependence on Life
• Geologic Evidence of Life
• Carbon Evidence -- earliest Life
* Fossil Narrative of Speciation and Development
• Genetic Narrative
• Central Dogma
• Gene Sequencing
• Implication for Species Relationships
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CREATION NARRATIVE – CONCLUSIONS
THE END
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