Serial Endosymbiotic Theory (Set): The Biosemiotic Update

Witzany, Günther

doi:10.1007/s10441-006-7831-x

Cited by 28 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In the history of science and philosophy, there has been a long-standing debate between fundamentally different views of life, such as those that emphasize co-operation and symbiosis, and in contrast to this views that promote the central importance of 'selfish' individuals (Villarreal and Witzany 2013b;Witzany 2006Witzany , 2007. The adaptability of individual-based selection fundamentally stems from errors, a few of which might improve survival.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Competing Viruses Unify: Evolution, Conservation, and Plasticity of Genetic Identities

Villarreal

Witzany

2015

J Mol Evol

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In the early 1970s, Manfred Eigen and colleagues developed the quasispecies model (qs) for the population-based origin of RNAs representing the early genetic code. The Eigen idea is basically that a halo of mutants is generated by error-prone replication around the master fittest type which will behave similarly as a biological population. But almost from the start, very interesting and unexpected observations were made regarding competition versus co-operation which suggested more complex interactions. It thus became increasingly clear that although viruses functioned similar to biological species, their behavior was much more complex than the original theory could explain, especially adaptation without changing the consensus involving minority populations. With respect to the origin of natural codes, meaning, and code-use in interactions (communication), it also became clear that individual fittest type-based mechanisms were likewise unable to explain the origin of natural codes such as the genetic code with their context-and consortia-dependence (pragmatic nature). This, instead, required the participation of groups of agents competent in the code and able to edit code because natural codes do not code themselves. Three lines of inquiry, experimental virology, quasispecies theory, and the study of natural codes converged to indicate that consortia of cooperative RNA agents such as viruses must be involved in the fitness of RNA and its involvement in communication, i.e., code-competent interactions. We called this co-operative form quasispecies consortia (qs-c). They are the essential agents that constitute the possibility of evolution of biological group identity. Finally, the basic interactional motifs for the emergence of group identity, communication, and cooperation-together with its opposing functions-are explained by the ''Gangen'' hypothesis.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Competing Viruses Unify: Evolution, Conservation, and Plasticity of Genetic Identities

Villarreal

Witzany

2015

J Mol Evol

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“…A similar kind of reasoning based on the context specific interpretation of sign mediated signals is in fact streamlined by biosemioticians (see e.g. Maran 2001Maran , 2003Witzany 2006;Barbieri 2007). If some cases of mimicry, aposematism, or even the functional and structural set up of organic parts show the same meaning in the eyes of a particular interpreter they can be called as homosemiotic (and the specific context must be characterized).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Homosemiosis, mimicry and superficial similarity: notes on the conceptualization of independent emergence of similarity in biology

Kleisner

2008

Theory Biosci.

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Independent phenotypic emergence of superficially similar traits is a phenomenon frequently reported from investigations in the whole biota. Superficial similarity (including mimicry) is frequently explained as results of selective forces (predation or external environment). However, the mechanisms underlying independent (polyphyletic) emergence of similar phenotypic features remain largely unknown. A part of superficial similarity may emerge due to the occasional re-activation of latent genetic and/or developmental precursors. A specific kind of superficial similarity is represented by the phenomenon of mimicry that presupposes the attendance of a particular animal-interpreter. Despite diversity of ways how mimetic patterns are generated, they are structurally similar and often bear a common semantic message for an interpreter (predator); therefore, the term "homosemiosis" is proposed for such cases of sign-mediated correspondences where congruence of meaning appears.

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“…Since the introduction of the Serial Endosymbiotic Theory (SET), it is generally accepted that the eukaryotic cell did not result from random mutations, but from the coordinated union of free-living prokaryotes (Margulis, 1996(Margulis, , 1999(Margulis, , 2004Margulis et al, 2000;Margulis and Sagan, 2002;Witzany, 2006b). Mitochondria and other Natural Genome-Editing Competences of Viruses organelles clearly descended from these micro-organisms Yurina, 2000, 2005) and the assumption was that the eukaryotic nucleus is also probably of archaeal or bacterial descent.…”

Section: The Origin Of the Eukaryotic Nucleusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Genome-Editing Competences of Viruses

Witzany¹

2006

Acta Biotheor

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It is becoming increasingly evident that the driving forces of evolutionary novelty are not randomly derived chance mutations of the genetic text, but a precise genome editing by omnipresent viral agents. These competences integrate the whole toolbox of natural genetic engineering, replication, transcription, translation, genomic imprinting, genomic creativity, enzymatic inventions and all types of genetic repair patterns. Even the non-coding, repetitive DNA sequences which were interpreted as being ancient remnants of former evolutionary stages are now recognized as being of viral descent and crucial for higher-order regulatory and constitutional functions of protein structural vocabulary. In this article I argue that non-randomly derived natural genome editing can be envisioned as (a) combinatorial (syntactic), (b) context-specific (pragmatic) and (c) content-sensitive (semantic) competences of viral agents. These three-leveled biosemiotic competences could explain the emergence of complex new phenotypes in single evolutionary events. After short descriptions of the non-coding regulatory networks, major viral life strategies and pre-cellular viral life three of the major steps in evolution serve as examples: There is growing evidence that natural genome-editing competences of viruses are essential (1) for the evolution of the eukaryotic nucleus, (2) the adaptive immune system and (3) the placental mammals.

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Serial Endosymbiotic Theory (Set): The Biosemiotic Update

Cited by 28 publications

References 25 publications

When Competing Viruses Unify: Evolution, Conservation, and Plasticity of Genetic Identities

When Competing Viruses Unify: Evolution, Conservation, and Plasticity of Genetic Identities

Homosemiosis, mimicry and superficial similarity: notes on the conceptualization of independent emergence of similarity in biology

Natural Genome-Editing Competences of Viruses

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