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 
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