Mitochondrial DNA can be passed on from fathers

Vastet
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Mitochondrial DNA can be passed on from fathers

I don't know where the author gets the idea that evolution is expected to be so slow, we've observed evolution occurring in multiple species for decades, at higher rates than described in the article. Our own species has evolved faster in the last 200 years of observations than can be accounted for by the rates described. But that wasn't the interesting bit for me. That belongs to the transfer of DNA from fathers that I had no idea was even possible.

Chicken study reveals evolution can happen much faster than thought

New study of chickens overturns popular assumption that evolution is only visible over long time scales

Date:
October 27, 2015

Source:
University of Oxford

Summary:
Scientists found two mutations that had occurred in the mitochondrial genomes of the birds in only 50 years, showing a rate of evolution much higher than the widely accepted rate of change in the mitochondrial genome of about 2 percent per million years.

Exerpt:
In addition, by determining the genetic sequences along the pedigree, the team also discovered a single instance of mitochondrial DNA being passed down from a father.

This is a surprising discovery, showing that so-called 'paternal leakage' is not as rare as previously believed. The study is published in the online early version of the journal, Biology Letters.

Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151027213417.htm


digitalbeachbum
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 Evolution happens every

 Evolution happens every day and on a smaller scale. I've only heard religions fucks say that evolution doesn't exist or that it takes millions of years.

The only thing that surprises me in the paper is that fathers are capable of passing along mitochondrial DNA. I thought that was only females.