SCIENCE in your LIFE
WORKERS BEHIND THE CODE
By C.W.
We all know that DNA is important. But how exactly does it work as the master-code of our bodies? How does it get to be our skin, nails, organs, blood, and toes? It will happen whether we know how it works or not. But would it interest you if I told you that there are tiny things in us that act like the builders? What if we were put together piece by piece by these things we can’t even see?
Well, first let’s understand DNA a bit better. Our DNA is made up of two small strands. These strands act like a code that our body understands like its own personal language. These codes are made up of 4 different signals called A, C, G, and T (for short). These codes form in certain orders that, to our body, can mean many different things. There is a molecule that’s job is to read these specialized instructions and put us together piece by piece!
These workers are called ribosomes. They come in two parts. But between these two parts is where the magic happens! Between the two sides of a ribosome, the copies of DNA code (called RNA) slide through like a receipt slides out of a cash register. But, as it slides through, it reads the bits of code in sets of three. When the codes come through as RNA, these copies of code are read 3 letters at a time. And these groups of three determine which microscopic piece is put in line next. This happens until you have a long string of these parts that make up a much larger molecule. Before you know it, there are enough molecules to make you!
Please send any questions or comments to Dr. Spitzer (spitzern@marshall.edu )
Note: Any opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of Dr. Spitzer, the Department of Biological Sciences, or Marshall University.