The creationists' wild card

Evolutionists may take pause for a moment because creationists have a wild card up their sleeve in the form of Epigenetics. Epigenetics is basically the study of evolution without the alteration of genes. Until evolutionists can isolate the complete genome of an early humanoid to prove that our DNA has its roots in that DNA then they will only have the fossil evidence of human- appearing ape-like creatures to fall back upon and on which to base their theory of man's evolution independent of intelligent design and without a creator who put him here.

Our DNA might very well have been the same throughout our history, with the normal exceptions of disease causing random mutations interfering with normal growth and aging.

in 2000, Randy Jirtle, professor of radiation oncology at Duke University and postdoctoral student Robert Waterland discovered that simple changes in diet and lifestyle can produce radical changes in heritability. They started with Agouti mice, which are special yellow mice who are big eaters and who carry a gene which produces severe obesity and which makes them very susceptible to cancer and diabetes. Prior to conception the mother Agouti mice were fed a strict diet of foods which were very high in methyl contributors, foods like beets, garlic, onion, leek etc. This practise produced a majority offspring who were normally mousy colored and lean, and not the least bit more susceptible to cancer and diabetes than other normal mice, not the general trend at all with these mice. In addition to diet, maternal attention was strongly encouraged. The gene responsible for the Agouti characteristics had been effectively turned off in the mother mouse.

DNA is tightly bundled in the nuclei of our cells around proteins called histones and must be unwound for genes to be transcribed. The presence of Methyl groups on the histone proteins can suppress or silence genes and/or make others more available for transcription. Additionally, certain base pairs located on a gene are binding sites for methyl groups, and their presence can interfere with the marker detection mechanisms of the cellular machinery responsible for transcription.

The work of Jirtle and Waterland proved that a completely different progeny can result without a single change to the actual genome itself. In other words, life can evolve without genetic alteration and with a consistent and unchanging DNA molecule.