Mission

report: PID22371-01

Extra Planetary Expeditionary Report

Mission: Tarec Nor (PID: 22371-01)
Mission leader: Dr. Rothacker

Background:
In
2025,
an
interstellar expedition to PID 2237101 is undertaken to the one planet in
the neighboring solar systems that has
a planet similar to Earth. Tarec Nor as

it is called, is the third planet of the
system, orbiting a solar body with the
standard stellar classification of G2V
(a yellow dwarf similar to that of
Earths own). You are among the other
researchers and scientists along on
the expedition which includes a group
of exobiologists and exobotantists
with expertise in biochemistry,
cellular biology, genetics and
evolutionary ecology (having taken
Bio1113 you are more then ready to
undertake this challenge).

On arriving, you find a biosphere
with many similarities to our own
earth; it is a rocky planet composed of
iron and other minerals; water covers

about 65% of its surface and has a

20% oxygen/ 78% nitrogen rich
atmosphere. The planet was formed
about 3.5BYA during which a diversity
ecosystems and organisms has
evolved. Everywhere you turn there
are unique and interesting animal and
plant-like organisms that are
performing a variety of ecological
functions. The ecologists on the
expedition observed that energy
enters the ecosystem through
ubiquitous photosynthetic plants
and the diverse chemoautotrophic
bioluminescent primary producers
that look a lot like fungi found on
Earth. The rest of this food web is
equally as complex as any observed on
Earth, with primary and secondary
consumers occupying higher trophic
positions. Plants and animals are
dependent on one another and will
compete with each other for resources
including space, light, and food, as
well
as
clearly
established
predator/prey relationships; with all
these intraspecific and interspecific
interactions there is a clear struggle
for limited resources. Most of the
available niche space is divided up so
that organisms have to compete with
each other for resources. Within
ecosystems we see decomposers to
recycle nutrients, so that they are
available for reuse.

Mission report: PID22371-01

Organisms of the same species

group together but do not seem to do
so for mating purposes but rather for
companionship and protection from
predation, thus many organisms
appear social and living in groups.

Exobiology Mission notes: During

the mission, scientists identify and
catalogue about 310 species of
animals (see illustrations below for
examples) and an equal variety of
plants and plant-like organsisms. The
organism found here are diverse,
having all sorts of amazing shapes,
sizes and behaviors. It is clear that
they are organisms similar in
biological complexity to ourselves,
some even possing a central nervous
system and different tissue types that
develop from different germ layers.
The odd thing is that they all
reproduce asexually and unlike

multicelled parthenogenic organisms

known on Earth, they do not ever
produce gametes or undergo sexual
recombination. However similar to
other asexual organisms we are
familiar with, these organisms
reproduce by binary fission, budding
and other forms of mitotic division
which result in the next generation of
offspring. In some cases organisms
make a mass of cells that are
separeated internally in special sacs
which separate it from the rest of the
animal and develop into embryos
that undergo development and are
born.

The organisms of Tarec Nor have a
nucleotide based genetics system
similar to ours and is composed of
DNA. The DNA undergoes replication,
transcription and translation, and
cells posses the cellular machinery,
such as mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA
needed to make proteins. However,
remarkably the most curious thing
about the organisms on Tarec Nor is
that they all have exactly the same DNA
sequence; that is, from the smallest to
the largest organisms, simplest to the
most complex ones, they have exactly
the same linear sequence of As, Cs,
Ts and Gs. For now we have dubbed
this the Universal Genotype.

In other regards, the DNA is linear,
double stranded, with a sugar

Mission report: PID22371-01

phosphate backbone held together

with-in the linear strands by covalent
bonds and between the nucleotides on
different strand of DNA by hydrogen
bonds. Each and every organism has
the same exact karyotype, with 39
pairs of chromosomes packed neatly
into a nucleus. In all respects their
molecule of inheritance is identical to
ours. [Some researchers are beginning
the process of testing that hypothesis
and making transgenic Tarec
Norians].

There appears to be strong selection
to in order to maintain this method of
reproduction. Other members of the
molecular genetics team have
identified cellular mechanisms in
place, which act to identify mutations
and eliminate them by repairing them
or destroying the organism if it cannot
be corrected. Thus the integrity and
continuity of the universal genotype is

maintained. Further research has
suggested that all organisms on Tarec
Nor evolved from a single common
ancestor which had this now-called

suicide system which eliminates any

genetically deviant cells or organisms;
thus through natural selection, the
system is maintained.

Diversification, and subsequent
adaptation to the different habitats
and conditions found on Tarec Nor
have lead to considerable phenotypic
variation. Molecular cell biologists
along on the expedition are revealing
that there is a complex cellular
mechanism in place to regulate the
differentiation of cell types found in
organisms and have discovered it is
not too unlike ours; chromosome
remodeling through methylation of
the DNA is common, and cells inherit
their DNA from other cells following
the basic tenets of cell theory.


Your assignment: Some of the
things we have learned in Dr.
Rothackers class are that evolution by
natural selection is dependent on both
(1) an ever changing environment
which applies differential selective
pressures on organisms that possess
varying phenotypes, allowing some
individuals to survive and reproduce
while others die off and (2) a means
to pass on heritable variation.

In the above scenario we have a
dynamic world with all the
ingredients needed to make a diverse
and complex ecological community;
that is, many different types of
selective pressures and organisms
vying for resources! For this reason
we can assume that Darwinian natural
selection and evolution are universal
principles at work on this planet too.

Image from Campbell et al.

Mission report: PID22371-01

By now you should be asking

yourself how such diversity, with so
many different species, could have
evolved from a single common
ancestor while still possessing exactly
the same universal genotype as that
ancestor? It is clear that there is no
shortage of adaptive, heritable
phenotypic variation, so your team is
assigned to explain how such a
diverse and complex genetic and
heredity system may have evolved.
Answer the following (10pts):
1. Develop a hypothesis to explain
the
molecular
basis
of
inheritance on Tarec Nor and
identify the mechanism(s) in
use here.
2. What is the heritable trait if not
the DNA sequence?
a. What molecular mechanism
is being used to regulate and
manipulate the phenotypic
diversity observed?
b. How is it passed from
parent to offspring? (think
about mitosis and why is it
that cells give rise to new
cells of the same type?)

5.

the greatest deleterious effect

on survival?

Let us extend what we know

and look into the future, that is,
what could be the greatest
limiting factor to the heritable
material / mechanism we find
on Tarec Nor?

Your grades will be assessed on
the scientific plausibility of your
explanations (within the limits of
your knowledge) and effort.
WEAK efforts will earn you a 0.
MEDIOCRE efforts earn you a 5

3.

How it is that the environment

can influence the expression of
the genotype in such a way as to
get the diversity we see?

4.

Explain as best as you can, how

is it that the Darwinian process
of evolution by natural selection
could have produced this array
of phenotypes from a universal
genotype.

a. Identify
what
selective
pressure could result in the
greatest amount of extinction
- and why? That is what type
of environment might have