Posted by Kromey at 3:06pm Aug 2 '09However, couldn't a species evolve in such a way that you get the same genetic variation as sexual species but still reproduce asexually? The obvious solution here would be to introduce a protein during the asexual reproduction process that makes the critter's DNA more unstable, allow for more mutation. Obviously there'd need to be a pretty precise balance between variability and constancy, otherwise you end up with far too many offspring without viable DNA - not exactly a survival mechanism there. You also run a very high risk of mutating your own species right out of existence, but I'm not so sure nature would frown on that outcome - evolution, after all, is a survival mechanism in and of itself.
Another solution that I've only ever seen in science fiction (maybe some of the more biologically-inclined among 4K can provide a real-life example?) is more similar to asexual reproduction than sexual, yet gleans all the benefits of sexual reproduction. Essentially, an individual encounters another of its species and takes a sample of its DNA. This then resides dormant within the individual until reproduction, when it is used like a kind of "seed" that is applied to the splitting DNA; the end result after reproduction is still two individuals that are genetic copies of each other, but who are now genetically different from their "parent" by virtue of having two parents - basically, you just gave birth to a pair of identical twins. This technique could easily be adapted to accept "parent" DNA from multiple individuals, not just one, giving it (perhaps) a distinct advantage over sexual reproduction.
Another solution that I've only ever seen in science fiction (maybe some of the more biologically-inclined among 4K can provide a real-life example?) is more similar to asexual reproduction than sexual, yet gleans all the benefits of sexual reproduction. Essentially, an individual encounters another of its species and takes a sample of its DNA. This then resides dormant within the individual until reproduction, when it is used like a kind of "seed" that is applied to the splitting DNA; the end result after reproduction is still two individuals that are genetic copies of each other, but who are now genetically different from their "parent" by virtue of having two parents - basically, you just gave birth to a pair of identical twins. This technique could easily be adapted to accept "parent" DNA from multiple individuals, not just one, giving it (perhaps) a distinct advantage over sexual reproduction.
Interesting - Kromey