Month: September 2022

DEFECTIVE CODE. "According to a study published in 2005, no HERVs capable of replication had been identified; all appeared to be defective, containing major deletions or nonsense mutations. This is because most HERVs are merely traces of original viruses, having first integrated millions of years ago." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous_retrovirus View in LinkedIn

HUGE NUMBER. "Mammalian genomes are chronically “infected” by a huge number of endogenous retroviral elements (ERVs) that spread vertically from one host generation to the next as integrated viral genomes or partial genomes in host chromosomes." https://lnkd.in/b9QHr8w View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT FROM NATURE continues from last weekend with the theme of biological information. Our perception of what constitutes biological information is changing. Previously, we considered genes to be the primary repository of-biological information. But today, we acknowledge that information is everywhere. We are even using information in inert materials to program them to do work. View in LinkedIn

SIGNAL TRANSDUCTIONS. "Cells must sense extracellular signals and transfer the information contained about their environment reliably to make appropriate decisions. To perform these tasks, cells use signal transduction networks that are subject to various sources of noise. Here, we study the effects on information transfer of two particular types of noise: basal (leaky) network activity and cell-to-cell variability in the componentry of the network." https://lnkd.in/e59geFP View in LinkedIn

LOGIC GATES. ""Computer chip "and-gates," neural "and-gates" and genetic "and-gates" have some genuine similarities. Less elaborate cascades of this kind can also be found in the endocrinological (hormone-using) systems within the body. Here too, informational language can seem naturally applicable, and may be justified by a similar line of argument." https://lnkd.in/eHPWXiJ View in LinkedIn

GENES are the modern temple of biological information processing. However, genes are not the only source of biological molecular information. Most, if not all, biological molecules need to receive, process and transmit information in order to function. Often, this is effected by electron chains, conformational changes, relations with structured water, and other types of molecular collaboration. View in LinkedIn

NOT JUST GENES. "Single proteins contain internal information channels" as shown by biological sender-receiver analysis in single allosteric molecules." https://lnkd.in/eJc-Z-m View in LinkedIn

CHANGES OF STATE. "For Shannon, anything is a source of information if it has a number of alternative states that might be realized on a particular occasion. And any other variable carries information about the source of its state is correlated with that of the source." This is at the heart of programmable inert matter. https://lnkd.in/eHPWXiJ View in LinkedIn

MULTIPLE PHASES = INFORMATION. "Anything is a source of information if it has a range of possible states, and one variable carries information about another to the extent that their states are physically correlated." https://lnkd.in/espyFHA View in LinkedIn

PRION PROTEIN FOLDING, or its 3D structure, conveys enough information to change a normal cellular protein into an infectious prion particle. As such, it is a protein gene, a rather controversial concept. https://lnkd.in/e3uKvuP View in LinkedIn