Analysis of information processes in living cells

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Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, Ukraine

Department of cyber security and computer engineering

V. Vyshniakov, Ph.D. Tech. Sci.,

Ass. professor

Summary

The destruction of living cells can occur instantly, and their formation takes some time. The reason for this is that the process of building cells is informational, in which, in addition to the laws of physics and chemistry, technological information is used, which is a chain of instructions about what, where, how, and in what sequence should be attached. The article analyzes the conditions for the functioning of information processes in living cells and shows the possibility of eternity of the minimum life cycle.

Keywords: information processes in living cells, technological information, life in the universe, eternity of technological information, minimal life cycle.

Analysis of publications

The results of biological research prove that the technological information for cell division is stored in the DNA molecule. Such a molecule is the main element of all living cells that are capable of autonomous reproduction. Live cell synthesis was first realized at The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). It was said: "The only DNA in the cells is the designed synthetic DNA sequence, including "watermark" sequences and other designed gene deletions and polymorphisms, and mutations acquired during the building process. The new cells have expected phenotypic properties and are capable of continuous self-replication." [1].

The next achievement of JCVI was the creation of a minimal genome, as follows: "Three cycles of design, synthesis, and testing, with retention of quasiessential genes, produced JCVI-syn3.0 (531 kilobase pairs, 473 genes), which has a genome smaller than that of any autonomously replicating cell found in nature." [2]. The authors managed to determine the minimum amount of necessary technological information in a cell capable of reproduction, as stated: "Genomics entrepreneur Craig Venter has created a synthetic cell that contains the smallest genome of any known, independent organism. Functioning with 473 genes, the cell is a milestone in his team's 20-year quest to reduce life to its bare essentials and, by extension, to design life from scratch". [3] As Craig Venter admitted, the search for the minimal molecule was a process of trial and error. The DNA molecule was synthesized by removing those areas (genes) that do not affect the ability to reproduce. After the synthesis, which took place in a specialized device, the molecule was introduced into the cell of a living bacterium instead of the removed natural DNA. At the beginning of the DNA minimization process, a computer copy of the information from the natural DNA of the bacterium was made.

The purpose of this work is to identify the functioning conditions for the information processes in living cells and to show the eternity of the minimum life cycle.

Research material

technological gene information physics chemistry living cell

Since DNA is a sequence of four elements (nucleotides: A - adenine, G - guanine, C - cytosine, T- thymine), marking them with pairs of binary numbers (for example: 00 - adenine, 01 - guanine, 1 0 - cytosine, 11 - thymin) allows to record this sequence in computer memory. Let's pay attention to the fact that through computer memory (where, except for the sequence of numbers 0 and 1, nothing is stored), not a single material particle can be transferred, only information. Although the DNA molecule is the information centre of any living cell (the carrier of genetic information), it does not have organs to execute the commands encoded in it. Carriers only store information, and turning information into action is done by other mechanisms of living cells, whose task is to carry out commands from the DNA molecule, including reproduction. This molecule is similar to a long-term computer memory device, such as a magnetic disk. In order to execute a computer program, you need to copy it from long-term memory to RAM. In cells, the role of RAM is played by mRNA (messenger RNA). Synthesis of cell elements occurs using information from DNA in the following sequence:

The RNA polymerase enzyme (catalyst) approaches the DNA molecule and separates its double helix in a certain area. Moving along this section, this enzyme forms a copy of the DNA section in the form of an mRNA molecule [4]. Such a process in biology is called transcription.

Based on the information entered in the mRNA, protein synthesis is carried out from amino acids in the sequence encoded in the copied section of DNA. This process in biology is called translation. Simultaneously, triplets of nucleotides (codons) in the DNA chain, themselves are commands, for attaching one of the 20 amino acids to the synthesized protein molecule. For example, the CAG codon means that an amino acid glutamine molecule (Gln/Q) should be attached.

The main function in the formation of proteins is performed by ribosomes, which consist of two parts, the first of which receives information from mRNA, and the second - performs the addition of amino acids. Transport RNA (tRNA) delivers amino acids to the ribosome, and ribosomes are called protein producers.

After the synthesis of the required amount of protein is completed, the mRNA molecule is broken down into its component nucleotides using ribonuclease (RNase).

The preparation of the necessary conditions for cell division begins with the synthesis of proteins for the formation of active mechanisms of the cell, such as ribosomes. Ensuring the conditions for separation requires that these mechanisms become no less than twice the required number. Finally, the DNA molecule itself is doubled, followed by the formation of two new cells. The minimum number of nucleotide pairs in a DNA molecule, which ensures the possibility of reproduction, is 531 thousand pairs. This in binary units of measurement of computer information is about 1 million bits. If this number decreases, the cell loses its ability to reproduce and life based on DNA molecules becomes impossible. Cell division, as follows from the analysis of the sequence of processes discussed above, can only occur due to the availability of technological information. Although protein molecules can be synthesized without DNA under certain conditions, to ensure cell division, these molecules must be formed in the right place, in the right amount, at certain time intervals, and within the cell body. This is not possible without the participation of technological information.

This information is a necessary element of the life cycle, but it is not sufficient to implement this cycle on its own. In order to synthesize the necessary elements according to the commands encoded in the DNA molecule, these commands must be executed, which requires the presence of an executor. In all known cases, such an executor is a set of mechanisms of a living cell, which must be in an active stage of its life. It is known that living cells can be in the stage of anabiosis or in the form of spores, but in such stages the cells do not reproduce and only retain the possibility of returning to the active stage in case of the appearance of the necessary conditions. Thus, a living cell in the active stage, as well as technological information, are necessary elements of the life cycle. A break in this cycle is possible only for some time, but during this time reproduction process stops. Therefore, for the formation of something living from inanimate elements, it is necessary to create a life cycle in which a living cell is a necessary element. The minimum life cycle is a living bacterium with a DNA molecule, which should contain about 1 million bits of technological information. The amount of information that is necessary in this cycle, in addition to what is written in the DNA, has not been determined yet, but since the cell is an information system, this amount can be roughly estimated. First, from the moment of formation of a new cell to its division, it is necessary to keep track of the number of operating mechanisms for each type. This is necessary to determine the time of division, namely, to make sure these are enough mechanisms to ensure the vital activity of two new cells. Second, you need to keep track of all the elements being synthesized to determine the amount in which they should be synthesized. Thirdly, the cell must have information about the places in the DNA molecule that should be addressed to perform certain procedures, starting with protein synthesis and ending with DNA replication (duplication) and cell division. Without all this information, as well as without the presence of active mechanisms of the cell, which function only in the active stage of its life, cells cannot reproduce, and without reproduction they can only exist for a limited time. To create an eternal life cycle of cells, whose information basis is a DNA molecule, it is necessary to have at least one living cell, or this cycle can be created only by an unknown being who has the necessary information and the appropriate means.

In other words, without pre-existing life, it is impossible to create even a minimal life cycle. Which indicates that life is eternal along with its technological information.

Conclusion

The DNA molecule is the information centre of a living cell, but it does not have organs for executing the commands encoded in it, because carriers only store information, and other mechanisms of a living cell transform it into action.

The minimum number of nucleotide pairs in a DNA molecule, which ensures the possibility of reproduction, is 531 thousand pairs. If this number decreases, the cell loses its ability to reproduce and life, based on DNA molecules becomes impossible.

Proteins can be synthesized without DNA, but to ensure cell division, they must be made in the right place, in the right amount, at certain times, and within the cell body. This is not possible without the participation of technological information from DNA and without the action of living cell mechanisms.

To create an eternal life cycle of cells, whose information basis is a DNA molecule, it is necessary to have at least one living cell, or this cycle can be created only by an unknown being who has the necessary information and the appropriate means.

References

1. Gibson, D.G., Glass J.I. & et al. (2010). Creation of a bacterial cell controlled by a chemically synthesized genome. Science (New York, N.Y.). 2010-07-02; 329.5987: 52-6.

2. Hutchison, C.A., Chuang, R.Y. & et al. (2016). Design and synthesis of a minimal bacterial genome. Science (New York, N.Y.). 2016-03-25; 351.6280: aad6253.

3. Ewen Gallaway and Nature magazine (2016). Scientists Synthesize Bacteria with Smallest Genome Yet, Scientific American, March 25, 2016.

4. Katahira J, Yoneda Y (27 October 2014). Roles of the TREX complex in nuclear export of mRNA. RNA Biology. 6(2): 149-152.

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