Claim CB200.3:
The biochemistry of protein transport within a cell is irreducibly
complex, indicating that it must have been designed.
Source:
Behe, Michael J. 1996. Darwin's Black Box, New York: The Free Press, pp.
98-116.
Response:
- Despite the complexity of the system that Behe describes, protein
transport need not be that complex. Some proteins direct their own
secretion so that no transport mechanism is necessary (see references
in Ussery 1999). Certainly, other simple systems that could serve as
precursors to vesicular transport should be possible.
- Many of the proteins involved in transport in eukaryote cells have
molecular "ancestors" in bacteria. These molecules, the ABC
transporters, serve in a much simpler system. If Behe is interested in
the simplest system that accomplishes a function, why does he not even
mention them?
- Irreducible complexity is not an obstacle to
evolution and
doesn't imply design.
References:
Further Reading:
Ussery, D. 1999. (see above)
created 2001-2-17, modified 2003-9-3
