05/12/10 Lecture 1: Biosciences Overview 1

Online Bioscience Course for IT Professionals

Spring 2010

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Class Mechanics…

• View online video lecture every Monday (1-2 hour)• Comment on video lecture using website discussion board• Attend the online Office Hour on Wednesday at 12 NOON online using tokbox.com and webcam• Online Final Exam given 7/7/2010

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Lecture 1: Biosciences Overview

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Take Homes:

• What is Life?• The Cell is the Basic Unit of Life on Earth• All Life on Earth is Related via a Common Ancestor• The “Central Dogma” of Molecular Biology• All Life can be Understood in Chemical Terms

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKNZjP9BdCw

The “Big Picture”-an Overview

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What is Life?:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This life la f/ ɪPronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[lahyf] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, plural lives la vz/ ɪ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[lahyvz] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation, adjective –noun

1.the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally.

2.the sum of the distinguishing phenomena of organisms, esp. metabolism, growth, reproduction, and adaptation to environment.

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Problems?:

• viruses? Mimivirus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimivirus)

• prions? self replicating proteins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prions)

• non-replicating organisms? Neurons…don’t replicate…

• computer programs?Computer viruses SPORE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spore_(2008_video_game )

• many other examples? Crystals

DNA nanomachines (PMID: 18654284 )

05/12/10 Lecture 1: Biosciences Overview 8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqGztEExN4Y

The Andromeda Strain: It’s a Crystal!

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• CHONPS+”minor contaminants” based…• H2O solvent• self-contained (Cells)• self-replicating• DNA/RNA/PROTEIN/LIPID/CARBOHYDRATE components (“PARTS”)• Adaptive short-term (interacts with environment in “real-time”)• Adaptive long-term (interacts with environment in “deep-time”)

For our Purposes:

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Take Home IWhat is Life?

Terrestrial living systems are all based on carbon compounds and use liquid water. They are self-contained, use macromolecules such as nucleic acids and proteins to function, and react to and adapt to their environment over the short-term (movement) and also over the long-term (evolution).

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Prokaryote Eukaryote

plant

animal

The Basic Unit of Life on Earth is the Cell-and there are Two Types:

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Prokaryotic Cell Structure

Prokaryote=no nucleus

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Eukaryotic Animal Cell Structure

Eukaryote=has a nucleus

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Eukaryotic Plant Cell Structure

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMrvmZ2i1sE

The “Inner Life” of a Eukaryotic Cell

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Size-Eukaryotes are Generally Bigger than Prokaryotes

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Prokaryotes & Eukaryotes have Different Genetic Structures as Well…

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Take Home IIThe Cell is the Basic Unit of Life on Earth

There are two types of cells, prokaryotes and eukaryotes, each of which have very different structures, genetic mechanisms and behaviors yet are composed of mostly the same kinds of biomolecules and have very similar genetic codes…

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from Doolittle, W. Ford (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 12751-12753

The Tree of Life:

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Most of modern cell and molecular biology has been derived from the study of about 8 “model” organisms:

• E. coli• Yeast• C. elegans (nematode)• Drosophila (Fruit Fly)• Arabidopsis (plant)• Mouse• Rat• Human

Based on the principle of conservation through evolution,the lessons learned from these “models” are assumed tobe applicable to all terrestrial cells and organisms…there are exceptions however…more on this later…much later…

Model Organisms:

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Take Home IIIAll Life on Earth is Related via a Common Ancestor

All organisms on earth are related by evolution from a common ancestor which existed on Earth about 4-3.5 billion years ago…this fact allows us to use studies of a few “Model” organisms to form the basis for our understanding of all Life…

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The “Central Dogma” of Molecular Biology:

D N A

R N A

P R O TE IN

S TAR T S TO P

TRANSCRIPTION

TRANSLATION

REPLICATIONG EN E

C O D O N S

AM IN OAC ID S

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The “Central Dogma” in Action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJxobgkPEAo

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Molecular Biology's Central Dogma-The Movie!(everything to scale)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkdRdik73kU

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Take Home IVThe “Central Dogma” of Molecular Biology

All known Earth organisms use DNA, RNA and Proteins. These “parts” function according to the so called “Central Dogma” of Molecular Biology…DNA>RNA>PROTEIN

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Proteins act as Enzymes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbZsXjgPDLQ

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Proteins act as Machines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InIha7bCTjM&feature=related

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Take Home VAll Life can be Understood in Chemical Terms

All known Earth organisms use proteins to accomplish such basic functions as metabolism and movement, and as such all biological activity can be understood in chemical terms

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Next Week:

Biomolecules, Viruses and Cells

More details on the chemicals and molecules that make up cells and viruses…what they look like and how they work…

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InstructorMark E Minie PhD

mark@meminie.com