Textual analysis of typical microbial genomes reveals that they have the statistical characteristics of a DNA sequence of a much shorter length. This peculiar property supports an evolutionary model in which a genome evolves by random mutation but primarily grows by random segmental self-copying. That genomes grew mostly by self-copying is consitent with the obervation that repeat sequences in all genomes are widespread and intragenomic and intergenomic homologous genes are perponderance across all life forms.

Tuesday, October 22nd 2002, 13:00
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, room 326