Re: Reverse-engineering the T. rex genome

[Tim Williams <tijawi@yahoo.com>]

evelyn sobielski <koreke77@yahoo.de> wrote:


> > No, it is not genetic.  The term 'genetic'
> explicitly
> > refers to the process of inheritance.  Even vertical
> > transmission (such as from parent bird to nestling) is
> not
> > 'genetic'.
> 
> I think most geneticists would say otherwise.


Actually, I'd be surprised if *any* geneticist said otherwise.  By "vertical 
transmission" I mean the context that the term is explicitly used in Wolff et 
al. (2000), which is also how I understand the term:


     "Galliforms acquire _T. gallinae_ through drinking
     contaminated water [7,27], while falconiforms acquire it through
     foraging on infected columbiform prey [21â26]. Vertical transmission
     from parents to offspring has also been demonstrated
     among falconiforms, either through nestlings being fed meat with
     adherent flagellates in it or by direct bill-to-bill contact with
     infected parents [21,22,23,26]."


So the parasite is transmitted by feeding, not by inheritance.  Thus, it is not 
"genetic".  Similarly, if my mother gave me the flu because I shared her glass 
of water it is not genetic either.


Cheers

Tim