[allmendream]

I didn't say epigenetics had nothing to do with HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS (transcription factors that respond to heat stress). Get a clue.

I said epigenetics had nothing to do with the mutation and natural selection of a protein for heat tolerance such as the xylenase example I provided.

How would epigenetics (which turns on and off genes by DNA methylation) account for a DIFFERENT protein being produced? Can you answer that?

How could methylation of DNA lead to a three amino acid substitution in a xylenase enzyme that makes it function at higher temperatures?

[GodGunsGuts]

==How would epigenetics (which turns on and off genes by DNA methylation) account for a DIFFERENT protein being produced? Can you answer that?

Read the following carefully, Allmendream. You are just plain wrong on this one. Epigenetics is absolutley crucial to the production of these new proteins:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080223123054.htm

[GodGunsGuts]

==I didn’t say epigenetics had nothing to do with HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS

Here’s your quote verbatim.

“But nothing in the heat stress protein had anything to do with epigenetic DNA methylation”

And I’m still waiting for the heat stress study you keep citing as an example, but never actually cite.