Welcome. This is the introduction to a 27-part lecture on molecular evolution, the molecular and cellular biological mechanisms that underlie the universal biological; process of evolution. Although evolution is poorly understood by many people, confusion over the precise mechanisms of evolution, that is, down to the molecular level is an area of discourse which seems to be particularly lacking intelligent commentary. That is why I present this lecture.

The first three parts of this lecture won’t even be about molecular evolution at all, but rather the necessary background knowledge necessary to proceed with a full and sufficient understanding of biology, and evolution. The first part is an introduction to the foundations of biology at both an evolutionary, speciation level, and a molecular, fundamental and chemical level. It will examine the universal mechanisms that underlie all of biology and hence all of evolution.

Since much of the current “controversy” in the public sphere about evolution pertains largely to the phenotypic alterations of Multicellular Eukaryota by evolutionary mechanisms, an entire portion is hence devoted to an examination of Multicellular Eukaryota, and what makes them different from the single-celled Organisms that make up the vast bulk of biological life. With the background knowledge of Parts I and II in mind, the third part will introduce the command mechanisms that build Multicellular Eukaryota from genes, the field of developmental biology. Finally, with all that in mind, the fourth and most important part will be about molecular evolution: What are the evolutionary mechanisms common to all life? What is unique to multicellular Eukaryota, how does evolution produce new phenotypic traits of said multicellular Eukaryota?

The structure will be:

Section I: THE LAWS OF BIOLOGY

-What is Biology?

-An introduction to chemistry

-An introduction to biochemistry

-An introduction to evolutionary principles

-Proteomics and Protein Control

-DNA and the Mechanisms Which Act Upon It

-Systems of RNA control and Signal Integration

-Universal Mechanisms of Gene Regulation

-Cells as Computational Units

-The Cell Cycle and the Cell Doctrine

-Abiogenesis: How Chemistry Gives Rise to Life

Section II: MULTICELLULAR EUKARYOTA

-An introduction to Multicellular Eukaryota, Plants, Animals and Fungi

-Adhesions, Junctions, Matrices: Cooperative Cells

-Signaling and Intercellular communication

-Specialization and Differentiation

-Universal mechanisms of control in Multicellular Eukaryota

Section III: COMMAND AND CONTROL OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANISMS

-Gene Regulation command in the development of Multicellular Organisms and Other Universal Mechanisms

-Homeobox Domains and Homeotic Selector Genes

-Development of Multicellular Eukaryota Along the Ventrodorsal Axis

-The syncytium

-Organogenesis

-Motility and Guidance in Development

-The Development of Plants

Section IV: THE MOLECULAR EVOLUTIONARY MECHANISMS WHICH ACT ON BIOLOGICAL LIFE

-Classical Genetics Today

-Homology and Evolutionary Modularity

-Evolutionary Developmental Biology and genetic circuits

-The Rise of the Eukaryota

-The Evolutionary Transfer from asexual to sexual reproduction