Commentary

Goods-thinking vs. tree-thinking: Finding a place for mobile genetic elements

Volume 1, Issue 4   November/December 2011
Pages 304 - 308
http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/mge.19153
Keywords: horizontal gene transfer, mobile genetic element, phage, phylogeny, plasmid, public goods hypothesis, virus
Authors: James McInerney, Carla Cummins and Leanne Haggerty

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Abstract:

While it has become increasingly clear that the Tree of Life hypothesis has limitations in its ability to describe the evolution of all evolving entities on the planet, there has been a marked reluctance to move away from the tree-based language. Ironically, while modifying the idea of the Tree of Life to the extent that it is only very distantly related to its original descriptions, there has been a very careful attempt to retain the language of tree-thinking. The recent movement away from a tree-thinking language toward a goods-thinking language and perspective is a significant improvement. In this commentary, we describe how goods-thinking can provide better descriptions of evolution, can integrate evolution with environment more closely and can offer an equal place for Mobile Genetic Elements and chromosomal elements in discussions of evolutionary history.

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