1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910465508203321

Autore

Maynard Smith John <1920-2004.>

Titolo

The major transitions in evolution [[electronic resource] /] / John Maynard Smith and Eörs Szathmáry

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Oxford ; ; New York, : Oxford University Press, 1997

ISBN

0-19-191923-3

0-19-158600-5

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (361 p.)

Collana

Oxford scholarship online

Altri autori (Persone)

SzathmáryEörs

Disciplina

576.8

Soggetti

Evolution (Biology)

Genetic transformation

Natural selection

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Originally published: Oxford : W.H. Freeman/Spektrum, 1995.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Nota di contenuto

Cover; Contents; List of tables; Preface; 1 Introduction; 2 What is life?; 3 Chemical evolution; 4 The evolution of templates; 5 The chicken and egg problem; 6 The origin of translation and the genetic code; 7 The origin of protocells; 8 The origin of eukaryotes; 9 The origin of sex and the nature of species; 10 Intragenomic conflict; 11 Symbiosis; 12 Development in simple organisms; 13 Gene regulation and cell heredity; 14 The development of spatial patterns; 15 Development and evolution; 16 The origins of societies; 17 The origin of language; References; Author index; Subject index

Sommario/riassunto

During evolution, there have been several major changes in the way that genetic information is organised and transmitted from one generation to the next. These transitions include the origin of life itself, the first eukaryotic cells, reproduction by sexual means, the appearance of multicellular plants and animals, the emergence of cooperation and of animal societies, and the unique language ability of humans. In discussing such a wide range of topics in one volume, the authors are able to highlight the similarities between different transitions - for example, between the union of replicating molecules to form chromosomes and of cells to form multicellular organisms.