Anthropocene and the Systemic Dimension of Biological Functions: The Case of Epigenetics, Horizontal Gene Transfer, and Antibiotic Resistance

• In Event: Products of Biotecnoscience: Modified Living Beings Used in Health and Agriculture Activities - I

Abstract

To prove that weaknesses of fathers do not affect biologically their descendants, about a century ago August Weismann cut mice’s tails to show that next generations not inherited these mutilations. A political, democratic conception of equality of opportunity–i.e. to all individuals should be given similar conditions to develop their talents and satisfying their basic needs–was reified within a biological model–i.e. phenotypic traits ‘acquired’ during one’s life in interacting with the environment do not influence next generation. This Neo-Darwinist framework justified that no intervention for individuals and communities is required to rebalance conditions of disadvantage. In this paper I show that the political debate fuelled by scientific inquiry on the influence that social and material environments have on individuals and communities, ‘forget’ the systemic approach needed, such as the one utilised through the model of horizontal (or lateral) gene transfer. Animal husbandry at scale, for instance, is allowed by use of antibiotics, which in turn has elicited antibiotic resistance. Bacteria and related DNA elements spread, horizontally, and contribute to the metabolism of other species in different and usually uncontrollable ways. Horizontal gene transfer is a ubiquitous process, constitutive of most of living beings. Bacteria are indeed in charge of coordinating gene expression and hence cell differentiation during the first phases of mammals’ development, and other vital functions. To end, I address the questions: ‘What is the influence that contemporary mode of production has on scientific models?’, ‘How can we develop a non-teleological, systemic take of the Anthropocene?’

Author

• Flavio D'Abramo, MPIWG Berlin