Re: Good Mutations.

Glenn Morton (grmorton@waymark.net)
Fri, 28 Nov 1997 17:48:17 -0600

At 01:43 AM 11/27/97 -0800, David B. Fenske wrote:
>A question to those more genetically inclined:
>
>I got into a discussion the other day about whether there ever are any
>"good" mutations, the kind that evolution requires in order for changes to
>occur. The only example I could think of had to do with sickle cell
>anemia. Are there any examples of mutations that aren't harmful (aside
>from the mutations to regions of DNA that don't do much)? Any help would
>be appreciated.

I don't have a reference on this, but there is a mutation in an Italian
family which allows them to avoid the harmful effects of cholesterol. They
can eat all the bad stuff and never have heart attacks. This is a good mutation.

glenn

Adam, Apes, and Anthropology: Finding the Soul of Fossil Man

and

Foundation, Fall and Flood
http://www.isource.net/~grmorton/dmd.htm