Biology Module 1

04.09.2014

Chapter 3
Lecture #2 Biology & The Tree of Life
Biology is the study of life.
Viruses alive or not alive?
Virus traits:
-DNA/RNA -> display order
-Reproduce ->reproduction
-Evolve
-Adapts to environment
7 properties of life:
1. Display order:

Lec.
#10

Lec.
#8
&
#9

-Evolves only inside host

-Unable to survive on its own
-Does not have the abilities to survive on its own

cell is the fundamental unit (cell theory)

cells have separations w inside/ outside, therefore
mechanisms can exist to balance the concentration.
- Therefore this trait is essential
2. Harness & utilize energy: - maintain internal environment requires energy.
- energy is required even from the basics of life.
3. Reproduction:
- organisms are favored when can reproduce
- favored by evolution and natural selection
- emergent property of life
4. Respond to stimuli: - structural, functional, behavioral advantage
ex. Plants (stromata)
- organisms responding to stimuli more likely to survive
- favored by natural selection
5. Exhibit homeostasis: - essential to manintain internal environment
- optimization of body funcions is facilitated by constant
internal environment, therefore its necessary.
- Ex. Diabetes lack of that response.
6. Growth & development: - establishing more highly ordered state in life.
How does it differ from evolution?
- Growth: occurs in individuals
- Evolution: occurs within the populations changing in
generations to adapt.
7. Evolve:
- change over courses of generations to adapt to the
environment Ex. Snowglow.
- change is a outcome of organismal reproduction in
variable environment.
- adaptation is a outcome of natural selection.
Viruses: dont respond stimuli, exhibit homeostasis and growth&development.
DILEMMA
Minivirus & Mamavirus:
-infects amoeba

Biology Module 1

04.09.2014

-as large as some bacteria therefore can be very large.

-979 protein-coding genes
-> 4 genes sufficient for vital existence.
-> many genes previously thought to exist only in cellular organisms.
-Mamaviruses can get sick (attacked by virophages).
Properties of life = emergent properties
Complex patterns that are the outcome of simple processes
Ex. 1. School of fish is an emergent property of individual division (avoiding risk)
2. termite nests emergent properties of simple individual behavior.
History of life
Inorganic chemicals produce organic.
a. Oparin Haldane Hypothesis:
- chemicals in atmosphere + energy = formation of organic
molecules
- increase in concentration of H, methane and ammonia +
water vapor
- no atmospheric oxygen = no ozone
- ionizing radiation
- Miller-Urray: formation of macromolecules can work in
non-reducing atmosphere even.
b. Deep-Sea Vent Hypothesis:
- chemicals in depseas +heat +nutrients = formation of
organic molecules.
- Under seas cracks: hot, nutrient rich water.
Ex. Methane, NH3, H2S (=reducing solution)
- Support : Miller Urray
c. Extraterrestrial Origin:
- organic molecules = brought from space
- Carbonaceous chondrites = meteorites full of molecules.
d. Panspermia Hypothesis:
- life arose elsewhere = earth was seaded
- no direct support
- arguments: - insufficient time for life to arouse
-life could possibly survive for millennia space.
Ex. Extremophites (archea & bacteria that can
surivive in extreme conditions.)