Biological Molecules 



other of them. Secondly, they may be able to 

 form some sort of a union, but, owing to their 

 diverse nature, the resulting molecules may be 

 so complex that they cannot be broken up into 

 equal halves, and as this seems to be necessary 

 for the sexual act, the resulting organism will be 

 sterile. Thirdly, the two sets of gametes may 

 enter into a proper union, that is to say, form 

 new molecules, but these may be of such different 

 structure to the molecules of the gametes, that 

 the resulting offspring will be quite unlike their 

 parents in appearance. Fourthly, some or all 

 the groups of radicles in each gamete may be 

 united so closely that in the sexual act they do 

 not break up, but enter bodily into the new 

 resulting organism. In these circumstances the 

 inheritance of the offspring will follow Mendel's 

 law. Fifthly, there may be some slight disturb- 

 ance of the molecule, perhaps one or only a few 

 atoms will be replaced by those of the other 

 gamete. This would give us impure dominance. 



Thus this hypothesis appears to be compatible 

 with the various modes of inheritance. 



The curious phenomenon known as prepotency 

 would seem also to be quite in accordance with 

 the conception. 



In chemical reactions the tendency is for the 

 most stable combinations to be formed, so in 

 nature. 



We may probably go farther and say, not 

 L 161 



