Ribosomes and Thier Importance to Evolution by Being "Selfish"

Jason Lei

Author/Source: Aarhus University
Published: December 7, 2015
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150107101405.htm

Summary: DNA was originally thought to be "selfish", in that it was thought to be a blueprint to reproduce itself. However, Merideth Root-Bernstein and her father, Robert Root-Bernstein challenged this theory. The researched DNA and its purpose, as well as ran experiments involving ribosomes and DNA in ecoli until the conclusion was reached that DNA does not strive to replicate or translate, rather it wishes to remain tightly curled. This rid of the old hypothesis that DNA only wishes to replicate, and was called "selfish DNA". However, due to this study, it was found that DNA is not selfish, rather ribosomes are. The experiment suggests that ribosomes simply use DNA to make reproductions of themselves, thus cells, DNA, and organisms were evolved mainly as systems to control and contain ribosomal reproduction.

Connection: This article relates the functions of cells, ribosomes, DNA, and RNA which we had learned in the last chapter. The article specifically focuses on ribosomes and DNA, and more specifically, compares the purpose of DNA to ribosomal RNA, and sheds light on why functions such as reproduction and transcription exist. Evolution is also shown as a key factor of the development of ribosomes in cells. Ribosomes attained the ability to control DNA and RNA, as well as create more ribosomes with DNA.This adaptation favored the ribosomes, leading them too become more influential. This connects closely to natural selection and evolution which we have recently studied in the textbook as well as in class. Ribosomes became a key part in evolution because it was an easier way to produce protein amino acid chains.