Between the cross and the sword: the crisis of the gene concept

Abstract

Challenges to the gene concept have shown the difficulty of preserving the classical molecular concept, according to which a gene is a stretch of DNA encoding a functional product (polypeptide or RNA). The main difficulties are related to the overlaying of the Mendelian idea of the gene as a 'unit': the interpretation of genes as structural and/or functional units in the genome is challenged by evidence showing the complexity and diversity of genomic organization. This paper discusses the difficulties faced by the classical molecular concept and addresses alternatives to it. Among the alternatives, it considers distinctions between different gene concepts, such as that between the 'molecular' and the 'evolutionary' gene, or between 'gene-P' (the gene as determinant of phenotypic differences) and 'gene-D' (the gene as developmental resource). It also addresses the process molecular gene concept, according to which genes are understood as the whole molecular process underlying the capacity to express a particular product, rather than as entities in 'bare' DNA; a treatment of genes as sets of domains (exons, introns, promoters, enhancers, etc.) in DNA; and a systemic understanding of genes as combinations of nucleic acid sequences corresponding to a product specified or demarcated by the cellular system. In all these cases, possible contributions to the advancement of our understanding of the architecture and dynamics of the genetic material are emphasized.

Genetic determinism in the Finnish upper secondary school biology textbooks

“…It should be noted that conceptual variation itself is not a problem, as it is useful for scientists (ElHani, Queiroz, & Emmeche, 1998;El-Hani, 2007;Stotz, Griffiths, & Knight, 2004). Furthermore, it is possible to get rid of the conceptual variation, as it is a property of scientific endeavor.…”

Exploring Relationships Among Belief in Genetic Determinism, Genetics Knowledge, and Social Factors

“…As in all sciences, different scientific theories and models have evolved over time (Gericke and Hagberg 2007;El-Hani 2007). Many of these scientific models use explanatory reduction that in various ways leads to the idea that the power of the genes is at the forefront, neglecting environmental interaction .…”

“…For example, genes are overlapping and can give rise to several different products (making the proteome qualitatively different from the genome), and there is no obvious relation between the amount of DNA in an organism and its morphological or behavioral complexity (for discussion, see, for example, El-Hani 2007;Falk 2014;Gericke and Hagberg 2007;Gericke and Smith 2014;Meyer et al 2011;Portin 2009). Gene-D is not Bcontrolling^or Bpurposively acting^in a specific direction but is a component among others within biochemical, physiological, developmental processes.…”

De la Polisemia de los Conceptos.El concepto Gen como caso Particular

“…La influencia del concepto de gen sobre el pensamiento biológico y su papel en el debate en la definición de vida y muerte, no solo han sido temas de discusión; el término y concepto también han sido sometidos a una exhaustiva revisión histórica y epistemológica motivada por los desarrollos de la biología molecular de las últimas décadas que ponen en relieve la ambigüedades inherentes a sus diversas definiciones, muchas de ellas incompatibles con los descubrimientos de la biología molecular actual (Falk, 1986;Fogle, 1990;Portin, 1993;Griffiths y neumann-Held, 1999;Keller, 2000;stotz, Griffiths y Knight, 2004;moss, 2006;El-Hani, 2007;Knight, 2007).…”