Sperm in all animals originated 600 mil. years ago

MSNBC ^ | July 15, 2010 | Live Science Staff

[swatbuznik]

A gene responsible for sperm production is so vital that its function has remained unaltered throughout evolution and is found in almost all animals, according to a new study. The results suggest the ability to produce sperm originated 600 million years ago.

[the invisib1e hand]

prove it.

[edcoil]

“and is found in almost all animals”

At least the male however, so many females today prefer neutered males it is open to question.

[ClearCase_guy]

They seem to constantly make discoveries showing that all of the really essential stuff was present -- POOF! -- right at the beginning when life was starting out. Then, for the next 600 million years or so, some incidental stuff changed around.

Reminds of a book I once read. I liked the book better.

[hometoroost]

Just ask one of Larry King’s ex-wives. :-)

[LonelyCon]

They seem to constantly make discoveries showing that all of the really essential stuff was present -- POOF! -- right at the beginning when life was starting out.

Except that, you know, the evidence we have so far is that life was starting out about 3.8 billion years ago and this study shows sperm originating 600 million years ago. That's a 3.2 billion-year-gap, so not exactly "POOF!"

[Farmer Dean]

I think his well went dry many years ago.

[hometoroost]

Late Cretaceous I believe.

[Cyber Ninja]

[padre35]

Sorta thin on facts isn’t it?

[ClearCase_guy]

About 600 million years ago, the Cambrian Explosion occurred (so they say). They say Explosion. I say Poof. It's a controversial event in which most of the major groups of complex life suddenly arrive on the scene. Since then, the groups seem to have been tweaked, but there hasn't been such a repetition of sudden Life.

Science has not yet settled on an explanation.

[mjp]

The findings were unexpected because many sex-specific genes, including other genes involved in sperm production, are usually under evolutionary pressure to change.

So when a gene changes, that is proof of evolution. But when a gene does not change, even when it was expected to, that is also proof of evolution.

[CTOCS]

Then how did man and animals reproduce b4 the 600M year milestone?

[hosepipe]

Prognosticating something... ANYTHING.. 600,000,000 years ago is laughable in the extreme..

[the invisib1e hand]

Just ask one of Larry King’s ex-wives. :-)

L.

O.

L.

[James C. Bennett]

If the Cambrian ‘Explosion’ coincided with the origination of sperm cells, then they may be onto the reason why life’s variety ‘exploded’ when it did.

[James C. Bennett]

So when a gene changes, that is proof of evolution. But when a gene does not change, even when it was expected to, that is also proof of evolution.

Genes that do not change over time imply that their function was critical enough to not allow the change without drastically impacting the survivability of the individual (and the species, as the change accumulates in the species' genome). It's not as if all genes are randomly changing to whatever they may change to. It all depends on the selective pressures and the allowances that permit the accommodation of those changes.

[lurk]

The theory raises questions.

What was the sequence of progression from no-sperm critters to virile critters?

You’ve got a whole hardware store of parts to assemble in order to have a functioning sperm-producing animal. There are nerves, hormones, sperm-making cells, genes, not to mention the body and swimmer tail of the sperm itself, along with the built-in understanding that they have a destination and function.

Then you’ve got the whole mechanism to deliver the sperm, the tubing, blood supply, stimulant mechanism, and the ejaculatory musculature.

Then, in the same generational sequence and locale, you’ve got to explain how the female system showed up on the scene with all of its hormones, tubing, sperm-receiving hardware, nerves, ovaries, eggs, genes, blood supply, and the knowledge to use the package in concert with the male.

And then you’ve got to get the boys and girls working fast to do this because you’ve got one generation to get this done before the species dies off.

They’ll need Barry White to set the mood.

This is why my copy of The Blind Watchmaker is all scribbled with margin notes. Evolutionary theory sure is fun.

[James C. Bennett]

It depends on what the said organism was like, 600 million years ago. One cannot assume that the sperm cell did not change during the time from then to now - thus affecting the assumptions regarding what sort of delivery mechanisms and support structures might have been required to enable its function, initially.

For example, female bed bugs are impregnated by male bed bugs injecting sperm directly into the female’s bodies, by puncturing its physical integrity.

[Cacique]

bump for later