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Life is Tough! Species share many features in common to help survive and reproduce successfully This is the “story” of those shared strategies! Strategies of Living Systems: Features Common to all Life Forms 17 November 2015 Introduction to life Themes/characteristics of living organisms Classification of life’s different species (1.8 million and counting) Case study: bacteria and virus Characteristics of all Living Organisms Hierarchy theory, emergent properties and the infrastructure we call the cell Continuity of life: function of “information” Openness of biological systems Regulatory capacity of living systems Capacity to reproduce Capacity to acquire, utilize, and store energy Diversity and similarity of living organisms Hierarchical Nature of Living Systems Community Population Organism Organ Tissue Functional unit in biology = Cell Analogue to atom in chemistry and physics and ecosystems in ecology Cell Hierarchy theory and emergent properties Organelles Macromolecules Atoms Cell: Structure and Function Organism’s basic unit of structure and function Lowest level of structure capable of performing all of life’s activities (e.g., irritability, reproduce, grow, develop, etc.) Cell Theory Ubiquitous (plant, animal and microbe) All cells from previous cells (no cells are created from scratch) Why called a theory versus a law? General Cell Infrastructure Reproduction …. Energy Utilization … Response to the Environment … Information Rich … Hierarchy Characteristics of all Living Organisms Hierarchy theory, emergent properties and the infrastructure we call the cell Continuity of life: function of “information” Openness of biological systems Regulatory capacity of living systems Capacity to reproduce Capacity to acquire, utilize, and store energy Diversity and similarity of living organisms Continuity of Life and “Information” Order in any system via instructions as a template (e.g., Constitution, Bill of Rights, legal contracts, language, …) In living systems, instructions codified in the DNA Instructions: precise, sequential order of nucleotides (ATCG; the alphabet of “instructions”) Example: RAT versus TAR versus ART A = adenine C= cytosine G = guanine T = thymine Nucleotides Open Systems All living organisms: open, allowing interaction with the environment Process stimuli Respond to stimuli “Open” versus a “closed” system Examples Orientation of leaves to sun Eyes Microbes and single cell organisms (e.g., amoeba) Characteristics of all Living Organisms Hierarchy theory and emergent properties Infrastructure: “it is the cell” Continuity of life: function of “information” Openness of biological systems Regulatory capacity of living systems Capacity to reproduce Capacity to acquire, utilize, and store energy Diversity and similarity of living organisms Regulatory Systems Interplay of organisms with the environment: requires a balanced regulatory system Outcome: homeostasis Set point, effectors, feedbacks, control centers and sensors Analogy: thermostat for heat control Examples Enzymes in cells Thermostatic control of body temperature Gene regulation: activation and deactivation Heart rate and exercise (getting oxygen an removing wastes) Regulatory Systems: Cybernetics Positive Feedback Set Point Control Center/ Sensor Effector Negative Feedback Feedbacks (+ and -), homeostasis and cybernetics Universality of Reproduction Reproduction: regenerative process of making new organisms (not necessarily copies) Methods Sexual Asexual (microbes; cell division/mitosis) Examples Siblings versus twins Geranium plants Dolly (the sheep) Me and thee! Characteristics of all Living Organisms Hierarchy theory, emergent properties and the infrastructure we call the cell Continuity of life: function of “information” Openness of biological systems Regulatory capacity of living systems Capacity to reproduce Capacity to acquire, utilize, and store energy Diversity and similarity of living organisms Energy Utilization Three activities: acquisition, utilization, and storage Energy acquisition (C-C bonds) Energy utilization Energy capture (autotrophs; heterotrophs) First law of Thermodynamics Wheat Plants Laws of Thermodynamics (1st and 2nd laws) .. Releasing energy from C-C bonds) ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and ADP (adenosine diphosphate) Energy storage Chemical bonds (C-C covalent bonds) Carbohydrates, glycogen and lipids (C-C-C-C-C) Muscle Tissue Energy Utilization In Metabolism Biosynthesis = constructing complex carbon molecules Catabolism = deconstructing complex carbon molecules ADP Biosynthesis Catabolism ATP Analogue: Legos on the floor and building a structure Characteristics of all Living Organisms Hierarchy theory and emergent properties Infrastructure: “it is the cell” Continuity of life: function of “information” Openness of biological systems Regulatory capacity of living systems Capacity to reproduce Capacity to acquire, utilize, and store energy Diversity and similarity of living organisms Two Sides of a Coin: Diversity and Similarity Diversity: a hallmark of living systems 1.8 M known species of plants, animals and microbes 10 M+ thought to exist (perhaps even as high as 50M) Similarity: a hallmark of living systems Striking similarity at the molecular level (DNA): kinship to worms, squirrels, birds and pigs (your DNA is ~90% pig!) Examples Biochemistry Structure and morphology Me and Thee Similarity of Life: Identical DNA 100% 95% 82% 20% Pig = 90% 70% 55% 14% Strategies of Living Systems: Features Common to all Life Forms Introduction to life Themes/characteristics of living organisms Classification of life’s different species (1.8 million and counting fast!) Case study: bacteria and virus Classifying Living Systems Hi! How are you today? Classifying Life Kingdoms Monera Protista Fungi Plants Animals How is this done? Cataloging Life Linnean classification Hierarchy Shared characteristics Kingdom (previous slide) Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species Binomial nomenclature Homo sapiens vs. Homo neanderthalensis Classifying Humankind Kingdom: Animals Phylum: Chordates Class: Mammals Order: Primates Family: Hominid Who else in in your “Family”? Genus: Homo Species: sapiens Ardipithecus ramidus and Homo neanderthalensis Classifying Life Kingdoms Monera Protista Fungi Plants Animals Bacteria Flagella Information (DNA) Capsule Plasma Membrane Cytoplasm Cell Wall Spores (reproduce) Vascular Plants Phylum: vascular plants Structure - strategy? Roots, stems and leaves Control water loss Intercept light Autotrophs Reproduction - strategy? Gymnosperms (e.g., conifers) Angiosperms (e.g., flowering plants) Diversity of Animal Kind Vertebrates Invertebrates Gravity strategy) Roledictated of Gravity as a Strategy? Case Study: Bacteria Flagella Information Capsule Plasma Membrane Cytoplasm Cell Wall Spores Some Examples of Bacteria Clostridium (botulism) Salmonella (salmonella food poisoning) Habitats of Bacteria Strategy for Survival? Case Study: Virus Strange form of life Nucleic acids in head/capsule Lack metabolism for energy acquisition, storage and utilization Lack membranes Parasitic (means what?) Visible only with electron microscopy Role in disease … huge part of human history and misery Some Examples of Viruses Influenza Herpes Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (virus) Strategies of Living Systems Introduction to life Themes/characteristics of living organisms Classification of life’s different species Case study: bacteria and virus All organism share common strategies for survival, but each “solves” the problem with variation on a common theme Life is Tough! Species share many features in common to help survive and reproduce successfully This is the story of those shared strategies!