Re:What's a virus, anyway? The bare-bones basics
by matheusmoreira on Friday April 03, 2020 @03:27AM
(#22766976)
> Is there a a good read on how RNA and DNA work for a Computer Scientist?
DNA is source code. RNA is an intermediate representation. Enzymes compile DNA into mRNA. Ribosomes compile mRNA into proteins which can actually execute a wide variety of functions.
Proteins may require post-processing before they're usable. The output of a ribosome is a primary protein: a linear, one-dimensional structure. By interacting with itself and other cell machinery, the protein could be folded into three-dimensional secondary and tertiary structures. Several of them might be assembled into a quaternary protein.
The mitochondrion and the ATP synthase are like a hydroelectric power plant. The electrochemical gradient is the gravity, the hydrogen is the water and the enzyme is the turbine.
Enzymes transform substrate into product. They're like functions. When one enzyme's product is another's substrate, a pipeline is formed. Metabolism is a parallel process. I've written about metabolism as a programming metaphor before:
Sometimes bacteria save useful snippets of their own source code into gene cassettes. This allows the code to be exported to other bacteria via horizontal gene transfer.
Developed an awesome antibiotic-destroying enzyme? Make copies and send them to friends through a pipe. Didn't manage to survive? Said friends might be able to absorb the DNA from the environment anyway. They can obtain the fallen's powers just like Mega Man.
DNA is source code. RNA is an intermediate representation. Enzymes compile DNA into mRNA. Ribosomes compile mRNA into proteins which can actually execute a wide variety of functions.
Proteins may require post-processing before they're usable. The output of a ribosome is a primary protein: a linear, one-dimensional structure. By interacting with itself and other cell machinery, the protein could be folded into three-dimensional secondary and tertiary structures. Several of them might be assembled into a quaternary protein.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_structure
The final result could be a simple peptide or some huge machine like this thing:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_three_secretion_system
The mitochondrion and the ATP synthase are like a hydroelectric power plant. The electrochemical gradient is the gravity, the hydrogen is the water and the enzyme is the turbine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_synthase
Enzymes transform substrate into product. They're like functions. When one enzyme's product is another's substrate, a pipeline is formed. Metabolism is a parallel process. I've written about metabolism as a programming metaphor before:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21562716
Sometimes bacteria save useful snippets of their own source code into gene cassettes. This allows the code to be exported to other bacteria via horizontal gene transfer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_cassette
Developed an awesome antibiotic-destroying enzyme? Make copies and send them to friends through a pipe. Didn't manage to survive? Said friends might be able to absorb the DNA from the environment anyway. They can obtain the fallen's powers just like Mega Man.