At least in a specific experimental context and with specific animal models. When they mixed the embryos of a frog and an axolotl, there were no genes in their genome which could predict whether a "frogolotl" will have legs.
That's been reiterated by Levin at almost every presentation. Maybe he's overgeneralizing or there's actually a lack of specific experimental context or reference to a specific study. Maybe "anatomy" is a bit too broad of a term, and the thing inferred is some overall macroscopic patterning, so can't say definitely "untrue", as I haven't yet dedicated time to delve into specific articles and been just consuming lectures/presentations.
But I remember he was mentioning some study in left/right asymmetry in DevBio, where they've shown that it's cell potentials/bioelectric signalling and not genes that determine the left/right asymmetry in embryos.
> where they've shown that it's cell potentials/bioelectric signalling and not genes that determine the left/right asymmetry in embryos.
No, they've shown that electric signaling is how the genes determine the left/right asymmetry in embryos.
How do you think it is that the same thing happens so consistently every time a new organism develops? Where do you think the electric gradients come from?
What's this supposed to mean? We are already able to develop bugs with missing or additional limbs by modifying their genes.