SC - Private-auction Alcohol

[margali]

HI from Sylvan Glen:

Ras wrote:

>I have dabbled in the area somewhat, why do you ask?  Given that modern man
>can come up with some quick changes in things by manipulating things, natural
>selection is not so quick about it.  With the information available to me, I
>still stubbornly hold to my original viewpoint.  The folks that I have talked
>to in the wine industry are very adamant about the fact that some of the vines
>they grow extend backward in some cases to Rome without change as are the
>breeders of certain animals.
>
>I certainly am interested in any info you can throw my way as I do not see how
>it is relevant.  For example, if a fruit or vegetable is produced that is more
>hardy than it's counterpart this not change it's flavor, growth
>characteristics or any other important aspect.
>
>Yes, of course, I'm interested. :-) It would be great to take it to the
>professors at Penn State and Cornel , as well as the Poultry Breeder's
>Association in Lancaster, to see them explain away the original answers they
>gave me regarding the topic of medieval plants/animals available today. ;-)
>
>Ras
>

Ras, I'd have to disagree with your assessment of the possible genetic
changes in heirloom varieties passed down to us from past generations,
particularly in regards to breeds of animals.  In the case of the grape
vines that you mention, they are almost certainly exact genetic copies of
their ancestors.  In effect, the vine growers are doing "cell
culture"....perhaps a better term is vegetative propagation.  You are
growing up exact genetic copies of these plants, because there is no
*sexual* reproduction going on.  It is not really possible to grow animals
via "vegetative propagation/ cloning", at least up until Dolly the sheep
came into the news in the last 12 months.  When a male & female reproductive
cell come into contact (as is the case with all normal animals), there is
amply chance for genes to get segregated & reassorted.  There are known
examples of a phenomenon called "genetic drift" or "founders effect".  When
a small population of animals or people is moved into an isolated area,
strange things can happen over the course of 100 years or more.  Odd genetic
defects that are exceedlingly rare in the world population can come to be a
recognizable minority in the isolated group.  I am guessing that many of the
heirloom varieties of animal breeds often come from a rather small stock of
breeder animals.  There is certainly a large chance that in the absense of
selective pressure that would favor one type over another, that the isolated
population will tend to gradually shift in the relative proportion of
certain genetic traits.  
        Gee, my parents would be so proud to know that the many dollars
spent on higher education aren't totally wasted.  And, yes, I do work in a
biological research lab; I guess it shows, doesn't it?
                        Take care,    
                                        Antoine
Dan Gillespie
dangilsp at intrepid.net
Dan_Gillespie at usgs.gov
Martinsburg, West Virginia, USA 

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