Aren’t pseudogenes evidence for evolution? (CT Scan, Episode 74)

What are “pseudogenes?” Are they really useless genes leftover from evolution? Can they show that different organisms—like chimps and humans—share the same ancestor? Popular evolutionary arguments would say so, but let’s see how to think biblically and critically about such claims.

DIGGING DEEPER
• Tomkins, J. (2014). The Human GULO Pseudogene—Evidence for Evolutionary Discontinuity and Genetic Entropy. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/human-gulo-pseudogene-evidence-evolutionary-discontinuity-and-genetic-entropy/
• Tomkins, J. (2013). The Human Beta-Globin Pseudogene Is Non-Variable and Functional. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/human-genome/the-human-beta-globin-pseudogene-is-non-variable-and-functional/
• Humans May Have Fewer Genes Than Expected? https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/humans-may-have-fewer-genes-expected/
• Lightner, J. (2008). The Smell of Change in Our Understanding of Pseudogenes. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/the-smell-of-change-in-our-understanding-of-pseudogenes/
• Tomkins, J. (2015). Challenging the BioLogos Claim that a Vitellogenin (Egg-Laying) Pseudogene Exists in the Human Genome. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/dna-similarities/challenging-biologos-claim-vitellogenin-pseudogene-exists-in-human-genome/
• Jeanson, N. (2017). Do Humans Have Genes for Laying Eggs? https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/do-humans-have-genes-for-laying-eggs/
• Woodmoreappe, J. (2004). Potentially Decisive Evidence Against Pseudogene “Shared Mistakes.” https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/potentially-decisive-evidence-against-pseudogene-shared-mistakes/
• Woodmoreappe, J. (2003). Pseudogene Function: Regulation of Gene Expression. https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/pseudogene-function-regulation-of-gene-expression/
• Vestigial Genes? (2006). https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/vestigial-genes/
• All “Junk DNA” articles: https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/junk-dna/
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CITED REFERENCES
• Van Nostrand, E. L., Freese, P., Pratt, G. A., Wang, X., Wei, X., Xiao, R., ... & Olson, S. (2020). A large-scale binding and functional map of human RNA-binding proteins. Nature, 583(7818), 711-719.
• Prieto-Godino, L. L., Rytz, R., Bargeton, B., Abuin, L., Arguello, J. R., Dal Peraro, M., & Benton, R. (2016). Olfactory receptor pseudo-pseudogenes. Nature, 539(7627), 93-97.
• Liu, G., Cui, X., Li, H., & Cai, L. (2016). Evolutionary direction of processed pseudogenes. Science China Life Sciences, 59(8), 839-849.
• Balakirev, E. S., & Ayala, F. J. (2003). Pseudogenes: are they “junk” or functional DNA?. Annual review of genetics, 37(1), 123-151.
• Zheng, L. L., Zhou, K. R., Liu, S., Zhang, D. Y., Wang, Z. L., Chen, Z. R., ... & Qu, L. H. (2018). dreamBase: DNA modification, RNA regulation and protein binding of expressed pseudogenes in human health and disease. Nucleic acids research, 46(D1), D85-D91.
• Xie, J., Chen, S., Xu, W., Zhao, Y., & Zhang, D. (2019). Origination and Function of Plant Pseudogenes. Plant signaling & behavior, 14(8), 1625698.
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