Comments on: How the “Lowly” Lichen Causes Problems for Evolutionary Theory https://www.sherriseligson.com/how-the-lowly-lichen-causes-problems-for-evolutionary-theory/ Science Educator. Author. Speaker. Wed, 16 Oct 2024 16:27:06 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Sherri Seligson https://www.sherriseligson.com/how-the-lowly-lichen-causes-problems-for-evolutionary-theory/#comment-134 Mon, 27 Feb 2017 14:49:52 +0000 http://www.sherriseligson.com/how-the-lowly-lichen-causes-problems-for-evolutionary-theory/#comment-134 In reply to Nikolai.

That is interesting, Nikolai. Granted, I am not a specialist on lateral gene transfer, but isn’t that something that occurs between similar species (and primarily with bacteria via plasmids)?

]]> By: Nikolai https://www.sherriseligson.com/how-the-lowly-lichen-causes-problems-for-evolutionary-theory/#comment-133 Fri, 24 Feb 2017 21:07:29 +0000 http://www.sherriseligson.com/how-the-lowly-lichen-causes-problems-for-evolutionary-theory/#comment-133 As an amateur lichen aficionado, I thought this was a good enjoyable read. There is one thing that I’d like to point out though: the coevolution of lichen constituents does not require them both to develop mutations at the same time that make them obligate symbionts, nor are all lichen constituents obligate.An alternative path that leads to them being mutually obligate would be through lateral gene transfer, similar to how genetic information will sometimes be passed from the mitochondria to the eukaryotic genome (following the endosymbiotic theory).

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