* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Planet Detection - University of Washington
Survey
Document related concepts
Gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids wikipedia , lookup
Molecular cloning wikipedia , lookup
RNA polymerase II holoenzyme wikipedia , lookup
Synthetic biology wikipedia , lookup
Eukaryotic transcription wikipedia , lookup
Artificial gene synthesis wikipedia , lookup
Silencer (genetics) wikipedia , lookup
Non-coding RNA wikipedia , lookup
Cre-Lox recombination wikipedia , lookup
Gene expression wikipedia , lookup
Non-coding DNA wikipedia , lookup
Transcriptional regulation wikipedia , lookup
Nucleic acid analogue wikipedia , lookup
History of molecular evolution wikipedia , lookup
Transcript
Astronomy190 - Topics in Astronomy Astronomy and Astrobiology Lecture 7 : Biology I Ty Robinson Questions of the Day • What does it mean for something to be alive? • What is the ‘Central Dogma’ of biology? • How has evolution led to the incredible biodiversity we see on Earth today? The result of 4 billion years of evolution: Life’s tremendous biodiversity How to define life? Order Reproduction Energy utilization Response to the environment Growth and development Evolutionary adaptation What is life made of? Oxygen Carbon Hydrogen Nitrogen Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur, Sodium, Chlorine, Magnesium Chemical composition of the human body (by weight) Trace elements (B, Cr, Co, Cu, F, I, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, Si, Sn, V, Zn) DNA: the information molecule Gene: a discrete unit of information represented in a DNA sequence RNA: the multitasking molecule Proteins: the workhorse of the cell • structure hemoglobin (blood) • catalysts (enzymes) • signaling • delivery of nutrients • transportation • etc. p53 (spellchecker) keratin (hair, nails) Central Dogma of Biology D NA transcription RNA translation protein Transcription: DNA to RNA Translation: RNA to protein DNA as a “language:” 4 letter alphabet in 3 letter words National Institutes of Health AUG CGA AGU GGG UGA Met - Arg - Ser - Gly - Stop The Genetic Code Mutation: a change in the base sequence of the DNA Example: ATA GTC TGA CTG ATG Sickle cell anemia Tyr - Gln - Thr - Asp - Tyr ATA GTC AGA CTG ATG Tyr - Gln - Ser - Asp - Tyr Darwin’s Big Idea: Evolution HMS Beagle Charles Darwin Darwin’s Big Idea Four Postulates: 1. Individuals within populations are variable. 2. Variation is inherited from your parents. 3. Some individuals are more successful at surviving and reproducing than others. 4. Individuals with the most favorable variations are naturally selected. Fitness: the capability of an individual to reproduce and pass on genes to the next generation Evolution is not goal-oriented Natural selection in action The peppered moth and the Industrial Revolution Evolution operates by means of changes in trait frequencies in populations, as well as through speciation events American Museum of Natural History Evolution is not goal-oriented: something may ultimately be useful, but that may not be WHY it was selected at the time. Archaeopteryx Feathers: originally selected for thermoregulation or sexual selection Unexpected results in evolution Birds of paradise: sexual selection rules Questions of the Day • What does it mean for something to be alive? • What is the ‘Central Dogma’ of biology? • How has evolution led to the incredible biodiversity we see on Earth today? Biology, viewed through an astrobiological lens: 1. The blueprints for making every aspect of life is contained within its informational molecule. On Earth, this is DNA. 2. Life on Earth is carbon-based. 3. Life diversifies into its tremendous biodiversity through the process of evolution. 4. Evolution is not goal-oriented! The chirality of life Some molecules are chiral: they are non-superposable with their mirror image. On Earth, all of life’s amino acids are left-handed, and its sugars are right-handed! Central Dogma of Biology “master copy” DNA transcription RN A “working copy” translation pro tein