DNA Palindromes challenge NeoDarwinism

A palindrome is a word, number, phrase, or other sequence of symbols that reads the same backwards as forwards.

The odds of palindromes forming depend on the length of the palindrome. For a one-digit palindrome, the odds are 100%, since all one-digit numbers are palindromes. For a two-digit palindrome, the odds are 1/10, since there are 9 palindromes out of 90 two-digit numbers. For a three-digit palindrome, the odds are 9/1000, since there are 9 palindromes out of 1000 three-digit numbers. And so on.

In general, the odds of a randomly chosen number being a palindrome are 10 to the power of the ceiling of the length of the number divided by two, divided by 10 to the power of the length of the number. For example, the odds of a randomly chosen six-digit number being a palindrome are 10 to the power of the ceiling of 6 divided by two, divided by 10 to the power of 6, which is approximately 1 in 10 million.

The odds of a palindrome forming decrease rapidly as the length of the number increases. This is because there are many more non-palindromes than palindromes for numbers of longer lengths.


DNA palindromes are sequences of DNA that read the same forwards and backwards. They make up 5% of the DNA and they can play an important role in biological processes. For example, palindromes are often found at the ends of chromosomes, where they help to protect the DNA from damage.

Here are some additional facts about DNA palindromes:

  • The longest known DNA palindrome is over 2 million bases long.There is a 1 in 419,4304 billion chance of a random sequence of 2,000,000 nucleotides being a palindrome.

  • DNA palindromes can be found in all living organisms, from bacteria to humans.

  • Some DNA palindromes are involved in gene regulation.

  • DNA palindromes can be used to create DNA nanostructures.

Scientists believe that the odds of DNA palindromes occurring by chance are so low that they challenge the theory of neo-Darwinism.

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection posits that evolution is driven by random mutations in genes. However it only works on coding DNA and palindromes are noncoding DNA. Selection by definition, can not work on noncoding DNA. Recall the Junk DNA fiasco.

The problem with DNA palindromes is that they are extremely unlikely to arise by chance. For example, a DNA palindrome of length 100 would have a probability of occurring by chance of 1 in 10^50. This means that if you generated a random DNA sequence of length 100, you would have to do so 10^50 times before you expected to get a palindrome by NeoDarwinian random mutations.

This is a completely improbable number, Darwin or not.  It is much larger than the estimated number of atoms in the universe. So, if DNA palindromes are indeed extremely unlikely to arise by chance.

One possibility is that DNA palindromes are created by intelligent design. This hypothesis is controversial, but it is consistent with the observation that DNA palindromes are so unlikely to arise by chance.

Overall, the odds of DNA palindromes occurring by chance are a complex issue with no easy answers. 

Here are several ways in which DNA palindromes are non-Darwinian:

  1. Palindromes can be created or destroyed without any selective advantage. For example, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) can change a non-palindromic sequence into a palindromic sequence, or vice versa. This can happen at random, or due to environmental factors such as radiation or mutagens.

  2. Palindromes can be maintained in the population even if they are harmful. For example, palindromes can be difficult for DNA repair enzymes to fix, which can lead to genomic instability and cancer. However, palindromes can also be beneficial, such as when they are recognized by restriction enzymes.

  3. Palindromes can be transferred between organisms through NonDarwinian horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer is the movement of genetic material between unrelated organisms, and it can play a role in the spread of palindromic sequences.

  4. Palindromes can be created or destroyed by recombination. Recombination is a process in which two or more DNA strands are broken and rejoined in a new order. This can lead to the creation or destruction of palindromic sequences.

  5. Palindromes can be created or destroyed by NonDarwinian  epigenetic modifications. Epigenetic modifications are changes to the DNA that do not change the underlying DNA sequence. These modifications can affect how genes are expressed, and they can also play a role in the creation or destruction of palindromic sequences.

The factors that create, destroy, and maintain DNA palindromes are not related to natural selection. Therefore, DNA palindromes can be considered to be non-Darwinian.

It is important to note that the non-Darwinian nature of DNA palindromes does not mean that they are unimportant. Palindromes can have a significant impact on genome stability, gene expression, and disease risk. For example, palindromes are involved in the development of cancer, neurological disorders, and other genetic diseases.

Researchers are still learning about the full range of ways in which DNA palindromes can affect our biology. However, it is clear that these sequences play an important role in our evolution and health.

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