cellular intelligence; where information is hidden (Evolution)

by David Turell , Monday, April 02, 2018, 20:19 (2425 days ago) @ David Turell

This study shows the shape of the organic molecule carries information in its shape by a chemist who creates decoy shapes. Organic carbon chemistry carries the ability to create an endless number of 3-D shapes and this is most like so much information can be transmitted to allow the complexities of single cells and of course the cells in multicellular animals:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180402110736.htm

"Not only can synthetic molecules mimic the structures of their biological models, they can also take on their functions and may even successfully compete with them, as an artificial DNA sequence designed by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich chemist Ivan Huc now shows.

"Chemist Ivan Huc finds the inspiration for his work in the molecular principles that underlie biological systems. As the leader of a research group devoted to biomimetic supramolecular chemistry, he creates 'unnatural' molecules with defined, predetermined shapes that closely resemble the major biological polymers, proteins and DNA, found in cells. The backbones of these molecules are referred to as 'foldamers' because, like origami patterns, they adopt predictable shapes and can be easily modified in various ways. ... Huc has now succeeded in synthesizing a helical molecule that mimics surface features of the DNA double helix so closely that bona fide DNA-binding proteins interact with it.

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"The new study shows that the synthetic compound is capable of inhibiting the activities of several DNA-processing enzymes, including the 'integrase' used by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to insert its genome into that of its host cell.

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"'As always in biology, shape determines function," he explains. In the new study, he introduces a synthetic molecule which folds into a helical structure that mimics surface features of the DNA double helix, and whose precise shape can be altered in a modular fashion by the attachment of various substituents. This enables the experimenter to imitate in detail the shape of natural DNA double helix, in particular the position of negative charges. The imitation is so convincing that it acts as a decoy for two DNA-binding enzymes, including the HIV integrase, which readily bind to it and are essentially inactivated. (my bold)

"However, the crucial question is whether or not the foldamer can effectively compete for the enzymes in the presence of their normal DNA substrate. "If the enzymes still bind to the foldamer under competitive conditions, then the mimic must be a better binder than the natural DNA itself," Huc says. And indeed, the study demonstrates that the HIV integrase binds more strongly to the foldamer than to natural DNA. "Furthermore, although initially designed to resemble DNA, the foldamer owes its most useful and valuable properties to the features that differentiate it from DNA," Huc points out."

Comment. Note my bold. It is very obvious that shape carries information. Each molecule in a series of molecular reactions tells the next molecule how to act. And as a result millions of molecules of different shape transmit the information that causes life to exist. This also explains why organic chemistry is so complex when compared to inorganic chemistry. The presence of organic chemistry on Earth is a result of the fact that life exists here. In my view the appearance of life from an inorganic Earth cannot be explained by the presence of a few organic chemicals lying around. It requires the exact shapes of each type of molecule to transmit meaningful actions. How can one doubt God's creation when this is understood? We are learning God's tricks, Look at the website to see the illustration of the decoy and what it copies.