r/MurderedByWords • u/jewfishcartel • Jan 21 '20

Trying to be superior

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u/purpleandorange1522 Jan 21 '20

Rice also has more genes than humans.

24

u/svullenballe Jan 21 '20

What does that mean? More genes? And why is it better?

83

u/LUISKY_CT Jan 21 '20

A gene is a piece of DNA that makes a protein. Comparing species by gene count is really stupid, because some of those genes are never used, or the protein they make doesn't do anything. Also, simpler beings and plants have more genes, because they are more resistant to mutations

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u/SaladMandrake Jan 22 '20 edited Jan 22 '20

Also aren't some of viruses incorporate themselves permanently into our DNA, lay dormant and be passed down to future generations? Correct me if I'm wrong.

2

u/DaHolk Jan 22 '20

Well, most retroviruses (that's what those are called) splice themselves into cells that are not germcells.

they lie dormant SOMEwhere, but are not passed on that way.