Abiogenesis

deleteEdited by Rob, : No reason given.

It's not? You'll have to rewrite the last half-century of molecular biology if it isn't.”HM

Your posts continue to drag discussion to the level of extreme silliness.You can take a 6 hour break to see if you can think through what you post.

excuse me, but DNA isn't digital. that's the biggest flaw with your description of "Genetic encryption". DNA is physical, it's an analog method of storing information (crude analogy that it is).now, if DNA was a CD or a hard drive you might have a point.The other flaw is that DNA is not encrypted by one nucleic acid and translated by another. You do know what nucleic acid is, right?And one last nitpick--how is something that is a double-helix, linear?

Linear because you read in a sequential order from the beginning to a stop, then on to the next segment, in one direction (for each strand).

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

kuresu, you said: Well, if you won't take my word for it, would you accept Richard Dawkins' words (River Out Of Eden, 1995, p. 19)?:

quote:

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Genes are pure information”information that can be encoded, recorded, and decoded, without an degradation or change of meaning. Pure information can be copied and, since it is digital information, the fidality of the copying can be immense. DNA characters are copied with an accuracy that rivals anything modern engineers can do. They are copied down through generations, with just enough occasional errors to introduce variety.

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Genes even use a digital "alphabet" to express themselves. All of that digital stuff had to evolve along with the chemical stuff to make abiogenesis happen. Otherwise, incipient biological life would have had no way of generational communication.”HM

Because that is how knowledge is gained and ignorance is abated: don't you think it is moral to remove the veils of ignorance from ones eyes? Don't you think it is moral to learn new things?Why is everything you argue about reduced to some attack on absolute morality?Do you know the working definition of fanatic? Someone who won't change their mind and can't change the subject.Enjoy.

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That depends on your definition, I fear. Let me define what I think the two terms mean:Digital - storage of information in discrete 'bits'
Analog - storage of information in a continuous formBy those definitions, DNA is digital. However, most things we consider digital feature electronic or optical storage and numerically binary data. DNA does not, but I do no believe that prevents it from being labelled as digital rather than analog. No, it is encrypted by evolution and translated by tRNA and ribosomes, which evolved along with the encryption. After all, if something can't encrypt its data accurately, or translate it again, it will die. So of course, encryption mechanisms can evolve.A good example of this is the change in the encryption in the mitochondria of vertebrates and some fungi, where the RNA codon AUA codes for the amino acid methionine, rather than isoleucine as it does in the cellular ribosomes of all other species (apart from the Micrococcus genus, where it is a stop codon). The genetic code is far from universal, and undergoes evolution because of mutations and selection just like everything else.If you're interested, see if you can pick up this classic paper (note the author!): F.H.C. Crick, "The origin of the genetic code." J. Mol. Biol. 38 (1968), pp. 367-379.

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Just a little nitpick electrons are not held by the strong force. They are held by the electromagnetic force. May be you meant quarks?

I`m afraid you`re not right about that one , as Doddy pointed out. But if you don`t mind me asking, What difference does that make?

i had always thought of analog as being physical, whereas digital isn't in the same sense. apparently that's not quite right.what makes DNA store info in discrete "bits"? is each "bit" like the code for a protein?as to the encryption thing, I understood hoot mon's argument a little differently. I took it that he meant that the DNA chain encrypted itself (so it would be like "A" encrypts "A", which to me seems really ridiculous). I forgot about tRNA though (as to being translated by other nucleic acids).

In the case of DNA you can take every base as a discrete unit. The word discrete means that there are a finite (countable) number of possibilities.Contrast, if you will, a CD with an LP. In a CD the music is encoded in sequence of zeros and ones. there are only two possibilities for every unit of information. that`s a countable number of possibilities, which makes the information content of CD`s discrete or Digital.LP`s(Venyl), on the other hand, have the music encoded into microscopic grooves that cannot be broken down into units with finite (countable) possibilities. That makes them analag.DNA, like CD`s, have their information encoded in discrete form. Every base has 4 possibilities -- a,c,t,g -- which is countable (Digital)I hope that helps

that did. thanks.

To be electronic or optical is a red hearing. Even analog TV`s are elctronic. Binary data sure is digital, but it is defnetly not the only possible choice for digital data.

Still spinning, eh?The definition you've cherrypicked and misread does not in any way say or imply that DNA "only exists for the purpose of communication."It does not. Whatever one's stance on evolution versus creationism, it doesn't have an intelligent recipient. DNA is not a message carrying meaning. You think you're making a point.The answers to your questions are "yes" and "no" respectively.