Dawkin's paradox: dissecting the body's battle to keep selfish genes in check

"The overall message is that internal conflict is a central, not peripheral, feature of organismal biology, and should be considered in studies of development, evolution, cancer and beyond."

"The whole body is set up to help keep selfish genes in check, argues evolutionary theorist David Haig. This works through the separation of a small group of germline cells from the somatic cells that make up the rest of the body."

"Jumping genes constitute nearly half of the human genome and are crucial for driving evolution and increasing genetic diversity. But they can also cause harmful mutations, and even cancer, when their insertion disrupts key genes that regulate cell growth."

The concept of the 'paradox of the organism' highlights the conflict between selfish genes and the organism's overall survival. Jumping genes, which make up nearly half of the human genome, can drive evolution but also cause harmful mutations. The book, edited by J. Arvid Ågren and Manus M. Patten, features essays from evolutionary theorists and philosophers discussing how competing genetic elements can function cohesively. The central theme emphasizes that internal conflict is crucial in understanding organismal biology and should be integrated into various biological studies.

Read at Nature