Nylon-eating bacteria and creationism

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Scientists discovered nylon-eating bacteria that can digest by-products of nylon production. Nylon was invented in the 1930s, so these by-products didn’t exist before. The bacteria make a new enzyme, called nylonase, that lets them use nylon-breakdown products as food. This shows that new genetic functions can evolve by mutation and natural selection, challenging claims that new information can’t be added to a genome or that proteins are too complex to arise by evolution.

Creationists have argued against evolution by saying random mutations cannot produce useful new information. Scientists and science educators responded that gene duplication and frame-shift mutations can generate new functions, and nylonase probably appeared from a beneficial mutation that helped the bacteria survive. Some debate also touched on whether the relevant genes are on plasmids (free-floating DNA in bacteria) or in the chromosome, but most scientists agree the result fits evolution in action, regardless of where the genes sit.

Batten and other proponents of creationism have claimed that plasmids designed to help bacteria adapt show intelligent design. Researchers noted that plasmids are common carriers for many genes, and that the nylonase example still fits the role of random mutations and selection producing a useful function.

Media reports and commentators weighed in. Some editors argued that the evolution of nylonase is a strong example against the idea that complex biological features require a designer. Others questioned how to define “specified complexity.” Yet many scientists and educators argue that the nylonase case demonstrates evolution occurring in real time and can be observed in the lab.

In short, nylon-eating bacteria provide a clear, observable example of evolution by mutation and natural selection, used to illustrate how new biological functions can arise.