TRANSCRIPTION & The Polymer Beat
In terms of major reactions in biochemistry, there are few things as important as transcription. Here the encoded message of the DNA is copied into the RNA messenger form, which shall later go out into the cytoplasmic world and try to make a life manufacturing proteins. But first the DNA must be transcribed.
The helix is sliced open to expose the two delicate single strands and the incision is extended. A team of enzymes is enlisted in the operation: topoisomerases, gyrases, helicases, and polymerases. Looped segments of RNA are brought in and stuck onto the DNA strands, and then connected before being disgorged. And if we can see through biological time we will realize that the old RNA world has found a connection to the future evolving world of DNA. And that in this new state, the DNA and RNA have become closely locked in reciprocal reactions somewhat analogous to a hard drive (DNA), and the activated RAM (RNA) in a computer. Most important is the dynamic interplay between these two realms. As long as these two realms can closely interact the code will go through.
It is this delicate interaction which we must study - afterall, this is a hybrid state. It is a crucial transient state in which the old and new come together and then separate. And this coming together of looped RNA and single strand DNA is quintessentially dependent on matched physical configuration and matched frequency of oscillation.
It is to this oscillation that we should pay attention. This oscillation is the dance of the old with the new in a polymer beat. And the conditions of this molecular dance are very strict so that if there are interferences with the harmonic frequency, the dance will fail, normal transcription will fail, and we must return to the pre-DNA world and its wild single cell behavior. |
