chloroplast and other genes (was Lucy in Newsweek)

[Richard Pyle]

> In some insects there are bacteria and at least one virus I know
> of that are
> transmitted and only transmitted through the egg. Could the
> infection pattern be considered phylogentic?

Interesting!  Yes, that it exactly the sort of thing I was wondering about.

> Some have suggested they are on their way to
> becoming organelles. For that matter could mitochondria
> considered a non-genomic
> indicator of phylogeny?

When I use the word "Genome", I had been defining it as all genetic material
passed from parent to offspring via the gametes, both nuclear and
non-nuclear (or, as our president would say, "nukuler and non-nukuler...")

But the example you give above muddies the waters a bit.

Aloha,
Rich

=======================================================
Richard L. Pyle, PhD
Ichthyology, Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817
Ph: (808)848-4115, Fax: (808)847-8252
email: deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/bishop/HBS/pylerichard.html