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Molecular Biology and the Reconstruction of Microbial Phylogenies: Des Liaisons Dangereuses?

  • Conference paper
Astrobiology

Abstract

Only half-a-century after the DNA double chain model was first suggested, molecular biology has become one of the most provocative, rapidly developing fields of of scientific research, that has led not only to tantalizing new findings on processes and mechanisms at the molecular level, but also to major conceptual revolutions in life sciences. Is there any hope of developing methodological approaches and theoretical frameworks not only to make sense of the overwhelming growing body of data that this relatively new field is producing, but also to use them to develop a more integrative, truly multidisciplinaiy understanding of biological phenomena? As Peter Bowler wrote a few years ago, Charles Darwin and his followers were accutely aware that “evolutionism’s strength as a theory came fom its ability to make sense out of a vast range of otherwise meaningless facts” (Bowler, 1990). This situation has not changed. Evolutionary biology may be in a state of major turmoil, but its unifying powers have not diminished at all. In fact, they probably represent one of the most promising possibilities of overcoming the perils of reductionism that have plagued molecular biology since its inception.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 70-407 Cd. Universitaria, 04510, México, D.F., Mexico

    A. Becerra, E. Silva, L. Lloret, S. Islas, A. M. Velasco & A. Lazcano

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  1. A. Becerra
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  2. E. Silva
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  3. L. Lloret
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  4. S. Islas
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  5. A. M. Velasco
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  6. A. Lazcano
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy

    Julián Chela-Flores

  2. Instituto de Estudios Avanzados (IDEA), Venezuela

    Julián Chela-Flores

  3. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía (CONICET), Argentina

    Guillermo A. Lemarchand

  4. Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Guillermo A. Lemarchand

  5. Department of Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5934, USA

    John Oró

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Becerra, A., Silva, E., Lloret, L., Islas, S., Velasco, A.M., Lazcano, A. (2000). Molecular Biology and the Reconstruction of Microbial Phylogenies: Des Liaisons Dangereuses?. In: Chela-Flores, J., Lemarchand, G.A., Oró, J. (eds) Astrobiology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4313-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4313-4_11

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