another protein, setting off a domino affect of interactions that reach to the nucleus. Let-60 codes for this other protein and belongs to the family of ras genes, which is originally found in human tumors. However, the mutated version of this gene can cause cancer. Before the ras protein was discovered in the worm, scientists had know clue as to what the ras proteins normally does in an organism. The mutation that was identified in human cancer was also identified in worm development. With this new discovery, scientists were able to determine the function of the ras protein, which triggers specific changes in tissues during development. A C. Elegans embryos have highly predictable developments. However, when the gene that tells the cells when to develop are removed or altered, the worms develop goes out of sync. These mutations: heterochronic, genes that tell a cell its place in the developmental stages and homeotic which were genes that told a cell where its position is in the embryo, signal a gene when to turn on or off. Occasionally, a cell must undergo a programmed cell death, in which cells are programmed to die by the genes. This is necessary, otherwise, organs that are inappropriate may develop. Still, scientists return to the same question that was posed of before, what possible mechanisms control these processes, whether it be cell death or the development of various tissues.In the final paragraph, Horvitz states “But evolution is a tinkler….It takes what already exists and adds to it…”. I think it’s an interesting statement and it holds a lot of truth to it as well. Our bodies, as complex as it may be, still retains much of the apparatuses that can be found in other organisms preceeding us and even in the organisms of today. The worm in this case was used as a sort of map into our own mechanisms and through future studies, scientists will be able to finally discover the incredible e...
