Explore
Alan Herbert has played a leading part in discovering the biological roles for a high-energy form of DNA twisted to the left rather than to the right. Both Z-DNA and the Z-RNA sensing proteins are critical for protecting hosts against both viruses and cancers. The proteins also play critical roles in the programmed cell death of aging cells. Other types of flipons exist and alter the readout of transcripts from the genome, encoding genetic information by their shape rather than by their sequence. Many of these flipons are within repeat elements that were previously considered to be just genomic junk. Instead these genetic elements increase the adaptability of cells by flipping DNA conformation. By acting as digital switches, the different flipon types can alter cellular responses without any change to their sequence or any damage to DNA. These highly dynamic structures enable the rapid evolution of multicellular organisms. The junk DNA in repeats also encode peptide patches that enable the assembly of cellular machines. The intransitive logic involved enhances the chance of an individual surviving a constantly changing environment.
Key Features
Causes us to rethink how information is encoded in the genome
Changes our understanding of how our genome evolved and how we protect ourselves against viruses and cancers while sparing normal cells
Shows that high energy forms of DNA, such as left-handed DNA do exist inside the cell
Accessible to those in academia and the general public, and speaks to the next generation, encouraging them to find their own path in scientific discovery
The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative License (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
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Keywords
- Applied Physics
- Biochemistry
- Biology, Life Sciences
- Biophysics
- Cellular biology (cytology)
- Chemistry
- Clinical & internal medicine
- DNA
- endocrinology
- Flipons
- left-handed z-DNA
- Life sciences: general issues
- Mathematics & science
- medicine
- Molecular biology
- Organic Chemistry
- Physics
- RNA
- thema EDItEUR::M Medicine and Nursing::MJ Clinical and internal medicine::MJG Endocrinology
- thema EDItEUR::P Mathematics and Science::PH Physics::PHV Applied physics::PHVN Biophysics
- thema EDItEUR::P Mathematics and Science::PN Chemistry::PNN Organic chemistry
- thema EDItEUR::P Mathematics and Science::PS Biology, life sciences::PSA Life sciences: general issues
- thema EDItEUR::P Mathematics and Science::PS Biology, life sciences::PSB Biochemistry
- thema EDItEUR::P Mathematics and Science::PS Biology, life sciences::PSD Molecular biology
- thema EDItEUR::P Mathematics and Science::PS Biology, life sciences::PSF Cellular biology (cytology)
- transcription
- Translation
Links
DOI: 10.1201/9781003463535Editions