If you mix protein with DNA, you get a chromosome.
If you mix protein with RNA, you get a ribosome.
If you mix protein with lipid, you get a membrane.
And if you mix protein with carbohydrates, you get….control.
But wait, that doesn't quite fit with the others.
Oh yeah, if you mix protein with carbohydrates, you also get the extracellular matrix.
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March 5th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Hmmm, more design needed. This somehow reminds me of a recent Nature article that discusses the dark matter matrix that galaxies are built upon.
http://www.nature.com/nature/j...
Comment by Jehu — March 5, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
March 5th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
A good tutorial-like blog. Life without proteins does have a fanciful nature.
Comment by Bradford — March 5, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
March 6th, 2007 at 1:31 am
Off-topic, but this NY times piece might be of interest - nothing particularly novel, but a rather whimsical presentation of some front-loading-friendly ideas to the lay public.
A juicy quote:
Comment by Mesk — March 6, 2007 @ 1:31 am
March 6th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Why doesn't control fit with the others?
Comment by chunkdz — March 6, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
March 7th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Hi chunkdz,
Ribosomes, chromosomes, and membranes all exist as structures that can be detected with imaging technology. Control is more of a function/concept.
The idea here is that you have four basic biological molecules - lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Proteins interface with lipids and nucleic acids to form core structural/function features of life. The protein-carbohydrate connection clearly exists in the myraid of glycoproteins, but I was looking for some structural analog and the best fit seems to be the ECM.
Comment by MikeGene — March 7, 2007 @ 11:46 am
March 7th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Thanks Mike. It's making sense.
Not to turn this into a clinic, but when you say "control", are you speaking exclusively of extracellular control?
Comment by chunkdz — March 7, 2007 @ 12:39 pm